President Barack Obama is going to have to face a debate over spending and the debt limit, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell warned Wednesday.

"So President Obama may not want to cut spending as part of the upcoming debt-limit debate, but history shows that deficit-reduction measures tied to debt-ceiling increases are about as standard in Washington as the Cherry Blossom Festival. And with the federal debt now at a mind-numbing $16.4 trillion, it’s a debate the president will have whether he wants to or not," the Kentucky Republican said in a National Review op-ed.

"For too long," McConnell wrote, "the president and his congressional allies have been content to impose their legislative will through hurried, last-minute deals that keep public scrutiny and tough votes to a minimum.

"As a result, our fiscal problems remain unaddressed, and the prospect of a European-style economic calamity here in the U.S. becomes likelier every day. This is why Republicans have insisted that any request to raise the federal debt limit be accompanied by serious reforms — because it’s the only way we’ll solve the problem."

To read more: http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/337797/don-t-borrow-more-without-spending-less-mitch-mcconnell