What Do Hobokenites Think About The Debt Ceiling Debate?

Would you rather learn about what's going on in Washington with this whole debt ceiling debate you've been hearing about, or, go down to the shore and read a novel?

Hoboken seems to have made its choice.

While news media have been alerting the people of Hoboken and beyond that the nation's debt ceiling—the legal limit on borrowing money—will be reached in early August which could cause the country to default on its debt, most of Hoboken's 20-somethings have not been paying attention to the story.

Hoboken Patch took to the streets to find out what locals think about this issue.

"Oh dear," responded Hobokenite Mari Timpanaro, 27, to the question about the debt ceiling. "I haven't been following it." She said the overload of information and the "political B.S." makes it difficult to follow the story closely. She said she is used to politicians who change their mind on issues all the time. 

Timpanaro, who has been living in Hoboken for four years, said that she would prefer a raise of the debt ceiling over a tax increase. "Don't put any more on the backs of tax payers," she said.

Another Hoboken resident, 28-year-old Kate (she declined to give her last name) said that she also hadn't been following the story much. "I have been going to the beach a lot," she said. But, she added, "it's a bad situation all around."

Upon asking more and more people in the street, a trend became apparent. The moment the words "debt ceiling" were mentioned, interviewees started laughing—a bit embarrassed—and shifting slightly back and forth.

Of course there are the exceptions. Kumar, a 35-year-old Hobokenite walking on Washington Street with a stroller, said that he has been following the story "pretty closely," because his job has to do with bonds.

"They should raise the debt ceiling," he said, adding that spending has gotten "out of control." He said a tax increase could crush the economy. And that, he said, "is the last thing we need right now."

Blake Novello, a 29-year-old Hobokenite, said he had not been following the story at all. "I'm not interested I guess," he said. Although he said he reads the news every day, he focuses on other news. He said he followed the Casey Anthony trial last week.

Most people questioned weren't too worried about the situation, even though most seem to believe they will be affected by this somewhere down the line. But until then, it may just be too hot outside to follow this story as closely as many would like to.

"I don't really follow it that much," one 27-year-old resident said. "Wait, what debate is this?"