Audio: Rep. Joe Barton Calls President Obama's Bluff on the Threat to Withhold Social Security Checks

Texas Rep. Joe Barton appeared on America’s Radio News Wednesday to discuss the debt ceiling talks. Though Barton’s appearance occurred prior to the president’s “don’t call my bluff” snip to Rep. Eric Cantor, Barton calls the president’s bluff on the threat to withhold Social Security checks if no deal on the debt ceiling is reached by Friday. According to Barton, the president can’t make the choice to withhold those checks.

Today is day 806 since the nation last had a budget. The Democrats controlled both houses of Congress and the White House for much of that time, and still control the Senate and the White House. Their failure to pass a budget has led directly to where we are now. Today the Democrats will hold a press conference to try pinning the problem on the Republicans, but they own the lack of a budget and they own, entirely, the rampant and out of control spending since President Obama’s inauguration.

They also own the threat and the consequences if the president orders Treasury to withhold Social Security checks. They will be harming our most vulnerable citizens for the sake of pure politics. The Democrats have been derelict in their duties. They own that, and all of the consequences that flow from it.