Adam Hasner Opposes Current Plans to Raise Debt Ceiling

Former state House Majority Leader Adam Hasner, now running for the Republican nomination to take on Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson in 2012, said on Tuesday that he opposed current plans in Congress to raise the federal debt ceiling -- including the one backed by U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio.

"I cannot support the latest plans for raising the debt ceiling, Hasner said in a statement. The House plan doesn't cut enough now, and it doesn't do enough to prevent Congress from spending later. The Senate's plan is a blank check to President Obama to add trillions more to our debt. Rather than continuing to float new plans, Republicans in Congress should unite around the only plan that will solve our debt crisis once and for all; aplan that has received bipartisan support and will prevent a credit downgrade: the 'cut, cap and balance' plan. Cutting spending, capping spending, and insisting on a meaningful balanced budget amendment is the only responsible way to deal with our debt crisis, and remains the only plan I would support.

Hasner took the chance to take a swipe at former U.S. Sen. George LeMieux who is also in the Republican primary.

"Despite signing the 'cut, cap and balance' pledge, George LeMieux has been noticeably silent throughout the debt ceiling debate. Last week, his campaign refused to close the door to the myriad plans that have emerged recently. The unwillingness of some Republicans to speak forcefully and unequivocally on the debt is one of the reasons we are in the mess that we're in now. If he truly believes in the pledge he signed, Senator LeMieux should join me in rejecting any Washington compromise that falls short of it, added Hasner. "The Senate is only four votes short of passing 'cut, cap, and balance.' Rather than calling lawmakers to demand higher taxes and more spending, as the president suggested last night, Floridians should instead call Senator Bill Nelson and ask him to support the only plan that will put America back on solid financial footing."