Pence Targets Entitlements as Deficit Surpasses $33 Trillion

Republican candidate and former Vice President Mike Pence marked the national debt eclipsing $33 trillion for the first time ever with a message — he’s going after entitlements.

Pence’s campaign blasted out a 58-word statement to address the ignominious feat.

“For decades, politicians in both parties have sat back and done nothing as our national debt has spun out of control,” Pence said in the statement. “America needs courageous leadership to tackle the debt and spending crises facing our nation. As President, I won’t be afraid to get our nation’s fiscal house in order by addressing the root causes driving federal spending — entitlements.”

Pence has campaigned as the only “consistent conservative” in the Republican primary, including fiscal conservatism.

Entitlement reform is part of his economic platform that he first rolled out in July. He proposes to also freeze non-defense spending and repeal new spending by the Biden administration. He has called for the elimination of the Education Department.

However, Social Security and Medicare are generally considered the third rail of politics. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., earlier this year got zapped over his call to sunset all federal programs after five years as part of his Rescue America plan. He very quickly walked it back.

The new watermark of $33 trillion comes less than two weeks before an anticipated government shutdown, unless House Republicans are able to swiftly find common ground. The House pulled back a procedural vote for Tuesday on the first attempt at a stopgap bill amid a bitter fight in the Republican conference over spending.

The deadline to pass a spending bill is Sept. 30.