Biden Just Did an About Face on the Debt Ceiling – Watch
In a major reversal from what the White House was saying just one day ago, President Joe Biden indicated on Wednesday that he was willing to negotiate spending cuts in order to secure a debt ceiling increase.
He made this shift after weeks of insistence that he wouldn’t negotiate, even when House Republicans passed a bill that would avoid a default.
Townhall reported: Speaking to reporters after an event in New York Wednesday afternoon, President Joe Biden indicated he’s willing to push aside his demands for a “clean” debt ceiling increase and negotiate spending cuts with lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
“Do you feel more optimistic about a deal today that you did yesterday?” a reporter asked.
“Sure,” Biden responded, adding that he wants to look at specific spending cuts Democrats and Republicans can agree on.
The President also said would consider skipping his planned trip to the G7 next week in Japan in order to get a deal done. He met with congressional leadership, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, at the White House Tuesday afternoon. Little movement came out of that meeting.
It remains to be seen whether Biden’s decision will be enough to avert a default. Republicans have said that they will not support any debt ceiling increase unless it is accompanied by significant spending cuts. But Biden has said that he is not willing to make any cuts to popular programs, such as Social Security and Medicare.
The debt ceiling battle is just the latest in a series of partisan showdowns between Democrats and Republicans. It is a sign of the deep divisions in Washington, and it makes it difficult to see how the government will be able to address the many other challenges facing the country.
In the meantime, the American people are the ones who will suffer. A default would have a devastating impact on the economy, and it would make it even more difficult for the government to address the many other challenges facing the country.
Chuck Schumer, Senate Democrats, and President Biden have no idea, plan, or solution to the debt ceiling. They need to develop a path forward, and then we can discuss negotiations. pic.twitter.com/cZaZfyemf5
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) May 5, 2023
