"Raising the debt ceiling is not additional spending. It is simply saying, you, the United States of America, can continue to borrow the money you need to pay the bills you have already rung up"

This quote by Jay Carney is referring to the debt ceiling, which is the amount of cash the United States federal government is allowed to borrow. Raising the debt ceiling does not imply additional spending, but rather it allows the federal government to borrow the money it requires to pay for the expenses it has already sustained. To put it simply, the debt ceiling is a way for the government to pay for the services and programs it has actually already promised to its residents. It is not a method to increase costs, however rather a method to guarantee that the government can pay its costs. By raising the financial obligation ceiling, the government is able to continue to obtain the cash it needs to pay its costs and keep its pledges to its residents.