Huffington Magazine Issue 71 | Page 11

Enter are letting on, and that by carefully making choices, the government can keep paying bills for a long time after the debt ceiling is breached. Per Weigel: The theory goes like this. Several times, Republicans have passed (or endorsed) the Full Faith and Credit Act to assure investors that the country won’t default. Just like Obama should be moving around money to keep the parks open, he should be telling investors that he can use incoming revenue to avert a default by paying debt service, entitlements, and the military. Anything less, according to frequent Full Faith and Credit Act sponsor Sen. Pat Toomey, is a “scare tactic.” House Republicans who voted for that act insist that the president’s going to be able to finance the debt and keep old people alive—unless he’s so vindictive that he doesn’t want to. “Social Security benefits are funded by mandatory spending,” explained Texas Rep. Bill Flores to a reporter in his district. “They go out come heck or high water. The only way Social Security payments could be LOOKING FORWARD IN ANGST HUFFINGTON 10.20.13 I would definitely love to play poker against some of these people, you know, if they weren’t playing games with the global economy.” withheld is if two things happen. One is the president decides to withhold them, or two, he takes the staff away that generates those ^[Y[