Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) took to the House floor not to unveil the details of his debt ceiling bill but to plead with Biden and Schumer to negotiate with him.
Video of McCarthy pleading for negotiations:
Kevin McCarthy is on the House floor begging for President Biden to notice him pic.twitter.com/ijJ21vNatq
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) April 19, 2023
McCarthy said, “The American people have elected a divided government, and our government is to find compromise. That’s why the House, the Senate, and the White House should be negotiating a responsible debt limit increase right now. You know, if you gave your child a credit card, and they kept maxing it out to the limit, you wouldn’t just keep blindly raising the limit.”
McCarthy, who is playing politics with the debt limit, accused Biden and Schumer of playing politics:
McCarthy: President Biden and Senator Schumer have no right to play politics with the debt calling. pic.twitter.com/meTClhGsfB
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 19, 2023
Democrats don’t want any politics in the debt limit increase, which is why they are refusing to negotiate any spending cuts until after McCarthy passes a clean debt limit hike.
President Biden responded to McCarthy on Wednesday by pointing out that is the Speaker who has put the country on the verge of default, and that McCarthy’s plan would hurt working people while helping the rich.
Kevin McCarthy has gotten himself into a bind. If he passes a clean debt limit increase, the odds that Republicans will seek to remove him as Speaker. If he doesn’t pass a clean debt limit increase, Rep. McCarthy will be blamed for a potential default.
Democrats don’t have to negotiate with Kevin McCarthy. The Speaker could end this situation today NY passing a clean debt limit increase. The pressure is on House Republicans, and judging by McCarthy’s comments, they are getting desperate.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a 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 movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association