DeMint Disses McConnell Plan to Let Obama Raise Ceiling

Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., spurned a plan to give President Barack Obama the authority to raise the debt ceiling. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s proposal Tuesday would authorize the president to raise the debt ceiling but give Congress the authority to block it, The Hill reported.

Sen. Jim DeMint

When asked for his opinion of the Kentuckian’s plan, DeMint said, "Republicans weren't elected last November to make it easier to spend and borrow and add to our debt."

Republicans will push for a debt-ceiling deal that cuts and caps federal spending, The Hill quoted DeMint as saying. Facing an Aug. 2 deadline to raise the debt limit, DeMint said Republicans aren't giving up, adding that he has been working with members from both chambers to come up with a new budget proposal.

"We're going to introduce a plan that would give the president an increase in the debt limit, but it's contingent on cutting spending and capping spending over several years, and giving the states the opportunity to decide if we're going to balance our budget in the next decade," DeMint said on CBS News.