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Neither party seemed to care about spending until recently. I'd agree that the Republicans probably drew attention to the issue first, but now the Democrats have gone further with it than the Republicans are willing to go.
That said, not passing a budget doesn't mean spending increases, it means it stays the same. Passing a budget those years could very well have meant more spending.
The uproar over current government spending started in 2009 with the Tea Party and extended to the 2010 election where the movement won major gains in the House. Just like the current uproar over money in politics began with the OWS movement. Not passing a budget means no accountability or plan for current or future spending. It does not mean spending stays the same, legislation is passed and spending is incurred without any plan to account for. The federal government will spend to their limit no matter what, passing a budget at least allows for a goalpost to be set.
Maybe you misunderstand that quote. He's not saying you shouldn't raise the debt ceiling, he is saying that you shouldn't spend so much that you have to raise it. Certainly he has always opposed defaulting on the debt.
Maybe you should take your wingnut goggles off. He explicitly says he will be voting against the debt ceiling increase. Saying that you shouldn't spend so much that you have to raise it is exactly what Republicans in the house are saying. The House was fully intent on raising the debt ceiling as long as it was accompanied by spending cuts. That's how the deal got done in the end.