The nation deserves better -- By Rand Paul, The Washington Times

 Americans are weary of fiscal irresponsibility

When Sen. Barack Obama was faced with raising the debt ceiling in 2006, he said, "The fact that we are here today to debate raising America's debt limit is a sign of leadership failure. It is a sign that the U.S. government can't pay its own bills."

Sen. Obama was right. Spending was out of control under the last president. Our deficit in 2006 was $250 billion. Sen. Obama rightly opposed raising the debt ceiling from $8.1 trillion to $8.9 trillion.

Today, our deficit has quadrupled. Our national debt is now $17 trillion, nearly double what it was when Mr. Obama refused to raise the debt ceiling under the leadership of George W. Bush.

Compared to what he was saying in 2006, some might consider the president in 2013 to be a "bizarro world" Obama.

When Republicans suggest debt increases should be offset by spending cuts, President Obama paints us as extremists. He portrays attempts at fiscal responsibility as irresponsible and reckless. This president continues to demagogue — frightening Americans and markets into thinking that failure to raise the debt ceiling means the U.S. will default.

Debt increase or not, the United States will not default. We have never defaulted. A responsible leader would be trying to assuage any such fears.

We bring in $250 billion in tax revenues each month (the amount of our entire 2006 deficit when Sen. Obama opposed a debt-ceiling increase). Our current interest payment on our debt is about $20 billion per month. We have more than enough in tax revenue to pay that interest. There's absolutely no reason why we would ever default.

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