Politicians cash in on the debt debate
PoliticoBy Manu Raju, Anna Palmer | Politico – 9 hrs ago
Democrats and Republicans may not be able to get together on a deal to raise the debt ceiling, but there’s one thing lawmakers in both parties seem able to agree on: They need cash.
As Washington and Wall Street scramble to avoid default, a credit downgrade and economic chaos, lawmakers and interest groups — everyone from fiscal conservatives like Rand Paul to House Democrats like Martin Heinrich and party committees — have tried to capitalize on the debt crisis to fill their campaign coffers and help their like-minded allies.
The fundraising pitches also point to the larger problem infecting Washington — the tone of the messages are sharply partisan, and campaign donors often don’t want their lawmakers to compromise, a dynamic that plays into the stalemate facing Congress as it tries to avoid an economy-shaking default next week.
“No phony deals,” wrote Paul, a tea party favorite.
http://news.yahoo.com/pols-cash-debt-debate-094100592.html-----------------------------------------------------------------
surprise, surprise - the longer they string this out the more money they bring in for their campaigns.