The White House and President Biden have hung Kevin McCarthy’s debt limit bill around the necks of every Republican in the House.
Here’s the latest White House action:
I hear House Republicans on TV saying they will never vote to cut veterans’ benefits.
If there is any confusion, I made a little chart that might help them. pic.twitter.com/SVvamK3KC2
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 2, 2023
Republicans in Congress say they are still supporting Speaker McCarthy:
There has been no movement in the Senate despite fresh warnings that a US debt default could occur on June 1.
Senate Republicans said there should be no deal without McCarthy’s blessing, while Dems stressed there should be no debt ceiling-related spending cuts — a key McCarthy demand.
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) May 1, 2023
For now, Republicans are sticking with McCarthy, but if history is any guide, that support will evaporate quickly if there is no deal and the country defaults on June 1.
The White House and Democrats in Congress do not want to set a precedent for hostage evacuation to be effective. Democrats and Republicans will meet next week, but the message is expected to continue to be something along the lines of Republicans, they won’t get anything until a clean debt limit increase is passed.
Meanwhile, McCarthy’s bill is quickly turning into a disaster for House Republicans. It was a big mistake for Republicans to call for spending cuts like veterans benefits, but it’s important to remember that Kevin McCarthy is not the House Majority Leader. He is a speaker in title only. The caucus is being run by the likes of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA).
The far-right wants to save the economy, but the problem is that dozens of moderate Republicans are losing seats in districts carried by Biden and are collateral damage. Kevin McCarthy’s bogus debt limit bill.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House Press Pool and Congressional Correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in political science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform activities.
Awards and professional memberships
Member of the Association of Professional Journalists and the American Political Science Association
