Dem predicts smooth debt-ceiling increase

A high-ranking Senate Democrat predicts a smooth debt-ceiling increase in early 2014.

{mosads}Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Republicans “learned their lesson” with the government shutdown in October and will not play politics with raising the nation’s debt ceiling.

Schumer told “Meet the Press” host David Gregory that Republicans “will back off any hostage taking … (or) extremist” demands when the nation bumps up against the legal borrowing limit in early spring.

“I understand there’s some saber rattling” by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) “and that’s natural,” Schumer said, “but at the end of the day the president is going to hold firm,” and won’t negotiate.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) refused to predict how his party would handle the impending fiscal battle.

Coburn said on “Meet The Press” that he “can’t speak for Republicans” on that matter.