Mayors and govs on debt ceiling: Get ‘er done
July is a fine time for elected executives to leave their lofty offices and go to conferences.
As the Wizard of Oz once put it, "to confer, converse and otherwise hob-nob with my fellow wizards."
So we have the National Governor Association meeting in Salt Lake City, and the United Conference of Mayors meeting next week in Los Angeles. They both have at least one common thing on their mind: Telling Congress and President Obama to stop messing around and raise the debt ceiling.
The NGA, currently headed by Chris Gregoire issued a statement to that effect today, although news coverage of the conference suggests that agreement that it should be done does not really extend to agreement on how it should be done. Republican governors support a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Democratic governors, not so much.
The UCM has a session for about 50 mayors next week. All of Friday morning's meeting is devoted to the debt and deficit. Expect more from them if, by then, the president and Congress haven't reached a deal.
