The president's re-election campaign began earlier this week with a video announcement. More “fighting for the soul of America,” which is still on the ballot, hence scenes from the Capitol riot. From the video:
“Every generation of Americans has faced a moment when they’ve had to defend democracy, stand up for our personal freedoms, and stand up for our right to vote and our civil rights. This is ours. Let’s finish the job.”
Biden's great strength is his love for politics and everything about it, the rituals, the customs, the meeting people. He's authentic. But he's old and people are freaking out. The Republican frontrunner is also in his 80s so let's chill out. The real concern here is that no one seems to want Kamala Harris to become president. However, Biden's comfortable with her, so give her a break.
Immediately, House Republicans “led” by Speaker Kevin McCarthy decided to alter their debt limit plan. Back when this was a routine measure to raise the country's debt limit to cover existing debts. Now it's usually twisted around when Republicans control the House into a de facto budget debate. Their proposal would cut federal spending by almost 14% over a decade and undermine major elements of President Biden's domestic agenda—i.e. eliminating clean energy tax credits and his student loan cancellation. It would also impose stricter work requirements for federal nutrition and health programs.
McCarthy, a joke who is being led by the craziest of the crazies from his party who have a razor then majority anyway, made concessions to appease blocs of lawmakers, including all of the above. On two of the holdouts, from the New York Times:
Rep. Derrick Van Orden (Wisc.), who had lobbied to preserve energy tax credits, similarly said he would be “voting yes” after changes to the bill. Still another key holdout, Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.), the leader of the far-right House Freedom Caucus, separately told reporters he would back the legislation, heralding Republicans for “moving a bill that actually, literally cuts spending, and provides savings for the American people.”
Obviously, with Democrats controlling the Senate and the White House, this shit is dead on arrival. Democrats, for their part, argued that the proposal is intended to force Biden to negotiate away his administration's accomplishments in advance of running for re-election. As such, they are portraying the plan as a threat to the country's credit and well-being, warning that the bill would be harmful to the American people and the economy by holding the country ransom, all of which is true.
From Representative Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, the top Democrat on the Rules Committee: “My analysis of this new plan is that it is even more draconian, even more devastating, even worse, even more mean. Your problem with this bill was that it didn’t screw people fast enough.”
This guy knows a shake down when he sees one.
With the nation's borrowing limit projected to be reached as early as this summer without congressional action, President Biden has called on Republicans to raise the limit with no conditions attached.
In short, what was meant to be a routine and uncontroversial measure has been turned into a contentious debate over the budget and the country's future, with Republicans using it as a way to try to undo President Biden's policies and further their own agenda. Just another day living in a divided government.
