Joe Biden Agrees To Negotiate On Debt Limit Raise Despite Prior Stonewalling

(BrightPress.org) – In a dramatic about-face, the White House is signaling it’s time to discuss negotiations and compromises required to raise the debt limit. Prior, Joe Biden had maintained there would be no negotiations and that the Republicans simply had to give in to his demands of a debt-limit raise with no strings attached or budget cuts.

Punchbowl News is reporting that House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) received an invitation over the phone from Joe Biden himself to sit down and discuss the issue on May 9th. As recently as last Thursday, April 27th, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters that they “are not negotiating on this” while reminding folks just how crystal clearly they had communicated that point. 

On April 26th, House Republicans passed a measure to raise the limit which included some budget cuts. The White House may have been shocked he was able to get the votes required. It was a close vote, with some Republicans voting against the measure, but ultimately they had the majority. Jean-Pierre called the bill “a recipe for economic disaster” without a hint of irony on Monday, May 1st. 

She continued to reiterate that the Republicans were responsible, and then an hour after that press conference, Biden made the call to McCarthy. 

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was so incensed by the successful passage that he’s planning to hold hearings on the bill so he can chastise his political opposition. He will not bring the bill up for a debate or a vote, nor will he craft his own proposal to raise the debt limit. His hearings will focus on the “danger” of the bill, because when in doubt, accuse your opposition of being dangerous. Some folks are easily swayed by that kind of appeal, after all.

The Limit, Save, Grow Act would raise the debt limit by $1.5 trillion or until the end of March 2024, depending on which comes first. It also requires that discretionary spending for the federal government be restricted to 2022 levels. 

Democrats refuse to do anything unless management tells them. It’d sure be nice to know who was actually in charge of the Democratic party. 

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