Twice last week Representative Mike Pence, who has aspirations to the Presidency in 2012, stated he believed the USA debt should be capped at 20% unless AT WAR.

Hm.

So, according the Senator from South Carolina, the USA will be 'at war' in perpetuity. 

As I said the first day I heard Pence make his statement on "Morning Joe" there will always be exceptions for Republicans to avoid FISCAL responsibility because they see the USA as the "Global Police" and chronically at war.

The Republicans have real issues with control and they over-reach no matter what the subject may be.  This is no exception.  We have witnessed over three decades of their over-reaching with the most extreme noted during The Bush Era.  Republicans have no desire to be Fiscally Responsible unless it serves their political purposes and ambitions for rhetorical rants.

It is far easier to be 'scared' with a gun draw all the time, then to seek peace and assume that posture.  We are not AT WAR with any sovereign nation and never will be unless Republicans do their usual war dance for purposes of wealth.