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Sen. Mike Lee on Tea Party criticism in debt ceiling debate, GOP responsibility in current crisis and his new book, 'The Freedom Agenda'
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We think we're anywhere near Dele debts -- sell raw you're dead wrong there's so much dissension Washington and tomorrow some house Republicans are prep school -- -- demanding a vote on something called cut cap and balanced.
If these house Republicans are successful and it passes in the house it is dead on arrival at the senate most people think and really dead on arrival of thing ever gets to -- Obama.
President Obama came -- navigate today's scene that he would veto it in emulate the bills calling for slashing billions in -- -- spending it caps future spending a proposes a balanced budget amendment of the constitution.
The bill is introduced by Utah senator my senator Mike -- joins us right now he's a brand new book and it's called the freedom agenda why -- have balanced budget amendment is necessary to restore constitutional government.
And employee a good time -- -- your buck.
Good timing indeed this is an issue that is important to every American and has a lot of people worried and understandably so.
I -- looking at the Republican Party in and -- even in your book your harsh on your own party.
And you blame your own party as well for they -- for them and probably haven't spending and the economic situation he all of them up look at what they have.
No certainly not I mean look this is a problem that every one of us have to own as Americans and no one gets a trump card certainly the Republican Party.
Doesn't get an excuse for the fact that -- contributed to our national debt problem.
It's an institutional spending problem and as -- -- in the freedom agenda there are overwhelming temptations in congress for members of congress to overspend.
We have virtually no limit on our legislative authority and we've got an unlimited well money from which to draw through our perpetual deficit spending -- We've got a break to have and the only way to break the habit is through constitutional amendment restricts our borrowing power.
I've heard the constitutional amendment -- we want to know last time perplexed and an even mr.
-- says -- a little bit about it.
Is he has sort of going agency by agency the GAO came out with a report in April or march it's about 12100 pages.
Enormous waste an overpayment and discovered how we don't hear about Andy that the discussion -- -- we don't need to raise a -- -- as much as some think it's released try to collect the overpayments.
Can't look -- if you could figure out a way to ferret out all the waste fraud and abuse in the federal government.
Can stop it immediately handy you can.
Well yeah party candidate Dino -- and other equipment would pay the GAO did the report and now hasn't that been virtually ignored.
Well well and and that's unfortunate and that has to stop and -- I think the Obama administration is doing what it can to help stop that the point is even if you could.
Squeeze all of that aside it's still not nearly enough to close this enormous gap.
That we have between what we bring in every year and what we spent.
And I don't doubt -- but at least it sends a message the American people that yes we do care about your money and see you know it is it is chump change -- what this -- GAO report when you look at the amount of money that is spent.
But the -- -- say no it is it's the American people's money and if they have the people wartime but this situation out I didn't bother to try to -- of the underlying issues.
It's distressing.
It is distressing indeed in fact as I point out on the freedom agenda and this is one of the things that gets overlooked when we can rely on an unlimited pot of money.
Whenever we can borrow to an unlimited decree then we're not as concerned about what let's hear what gets left on the table or underneath the table.
-- tomorrow's the vote.
You don't and -- didn't -- which critics say it this visitor when the house.
And it's it's going to win in the house are gonna vote.
About 7730 PM tomorrow and I believe it will.
Prevail in the house.
How the president says it should get him he's gonna veto it -- -- -- the president does have John you write off -- from the get go you know this is dead.
Well I I think he's wrong to do that I think his decision to make that -- will prove to be a mistake.
The president -- in a difficult position here having told us on the one hand that financial Armageddon awaits us immediately upon August 2 if we don't -- it.
Come on the other hand.
Saying that he's going to veto this he can't always pick and -- as to exactly what conditions accompany our willingness to raise the debt limit.
We have done something here that.
He is eminently reasonable which is as long as we're gonna raise the debt limit.
We should do it if and only if we permanently change the problem we initiate structural permanent binding spending reform to change the way we spend money in Washington.
The American people overwhelmingly support this plan.
And shame on the president for saying that he would veto -- the end of the day I don't think he will because I think he has to sign this once he gets passed into law.
I -- it assembly gets to you guys it's dead.
Well that's what those -- -- wanting to kill her trying to say that you don't sleep they think the senate could -- this I do.
And those who want to die.
Can't detect it on the merits because they know that they're wrong and so and said.
They make this self fulfilling prophecy saying well it can't pass we'll see if it can pass I believe it can pass because I believe we can get.
At least 41 Republicans who -- at the end of the day be -- willing to support any other debt limit increase measure without a balanced budget amendment attached to it.
This is not just the best proposal out there this is the only proposal it's the only one on the table that's been reduced to legislation that has substantial support.
Within congress and from the public at large -- your colleagues in the senate made democratic colleagues or senate to politicize it look at like to vote -- this.
I've this is okay I cheated out of -- this social.
And I wouldn't do that this book but -- spoken to a number of Democrats in both houses of congress and I'm optimistic that we'll get some democratic votes at the end of the in the senate.
In the senate and in the house.
I'm senator Orrin hatch who's your colleague from mother and aggressive Utah do you support him for reelection -- got a tough reelection no more natural -- work with him every -- -- command and -- I wish him well his -- been at this point he doesn't even have a primary challenger and so there's -- would you let me -- because look -- a lot of noise out -- that is gonna -- challenged the Tea Party would you support him.
I will support whoever is the Republican nominee at the end of the day and -- -- -- got Bob did you know in the end they in the leading up to it and yes he did.
And Doug did the voters of Utah will make the right decision all supporter nominee at that point what would you endorse him going into any primary.
I don't plan to get involved in any primary at this point I think the voters -- -- can take care of -- very well.
I don't I guess -- don't get that -- -- and study found that well I'm happy to talk more about the freedom agenda that.
I did not what the real agenda anyway good luck with -- but we'll see other -- in the house to -- -- -- episode -- sort of the Senate's portable thank you thank senator.
