Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., voted against a hike in the debt ceiling, calling it unfair and unbalanced.

"This deal, cut behind closed doors with zero transparency, is an unbalanced approach that cuts deeply into discretionary spending while being overwhelmingly stacked in favor of large corporations who exploit loopholes and the wealthiest among us," she said in a news release. "It is simply not in the best interests of the middle class and the larger economic recovery."

She went on to say that a balanced plan would have included increased revenues — an argument that Rep. Bill Owens, D-Plattsburgh, has made, but one that did not lead him to vote against a hike in the debt ceiling.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, Mrs. Gillibrand's senior colleague, voted to approve the measure, which passed easily — 74-26. One has to wonder what the political considerations are here for Mrs. Gillibrand, whose name has been bandied about as a possible 2016 presidential contender.

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