Ratings agency Moody’s is warning that the U.S.’s top AAA credit rating might be up for review as early as next month, if there’s no progress on increasing the debt limit. In a meeting at the White House yesterday, President Obama reportedly promised House Democrats that the middle class would not be short-changed in budget negotiations and that “failure is not an option.” However, as the focus turns to Vice President Biden’s bipartisan debt talks, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer voiced some skepticism about the gains made by the group so far. On CNBC, he said, “I’m not optimistic from the standpoint there’s really been no substantive progress made yet.” Meanwhile, House Speaker John Boehner is pressuring the White House to get more directly involved. Boehner said at his weekly press conference, “The fact is we haven’t seen enough progress from the White House. If the White House wants to get this done, it’s time for them to step up the plate and get serious about it.” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner also met with lawmakers yesterday. He told Republican freshmen on Capitol HIll that if Congress fails to raise the debt ceiling, it would be “lights out” for the economy.
Laura Kim