On the recordJuly 30, 2011
As the debate on avoiding a devastating default has progressed over the last several months, we've heard from many House Republicans that ``compromise'' is a dirty word. But the voices we should be listening to are those of the American people. What they've said has been loud and clear. According to the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 53 percent of Independents and Republicans want Republican leaders to compromise. According to the ABC/Washington Post poll, 77 percent of all Americans think the Republican leadership has not been willing to compromise. According to the Quinnipiac University poll, 67 percent of Americans believe the debt ceiling compromise should be a balance between spending cuts and revenue--yes, revenue. According to the Gallup Poll, 57 percent of Republicans want a compromise plan--that's Republicans. And according to the CBS News poll, 78 percent of Republicans would rather have an agreement that they don't fully support than allow the country to default. Mr. Speaker, it's long past time we started listening to the American people and reach a compromise to avoid a national default. ____________________
