Fri May 26, 2023, 01:33 AM

Deadline looming, Biden and McCarthy narrow in on budget deal to lift debt ceiling - AP News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Days from a deadline, President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy are narrowing in on a two-year budget deal aiming to curb federal deficits in exchange for lifting the nation’s debt ceiling and staving off an economically devastating government default.

The Democratic president and Republican speaker hope to strike a budget compromise this weekend. With Republicans driving for steep cuts, the two sides have been unable to agree to spending levels for 2024 and 2025. Any deal would need to be a political compromise, with support from both Democrats and Republicans to pass the divided Congress.

But the budget flow isn’t the only hang-up.

A person familiar with the talks said the two sides are “dug in” on whether or not to agree to Republican demands to impose stiffer work requirements on people who receive government food stamps, cash assistance and health care aid, some of the most vulnerable Americans.

Yet both Biden and McCarthy expressed optimism heading into the weekend that the gulf between their positions could be bridged. A two-year deal would raise the debt limit for that time, past the 2024 presidential election.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/debt-limit-congress-mccarthy-biden-budget-230fed0485cdee771b67a6331f172845

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9 replies	Author	Time	Post
Deadline looming, Biden and McCarthy narrow in on budget deal to lift debt ceiling - AP News (Original post)	Rhiannon12866	Friday	OP
The undeserving poor always carry the burden of offsetting wealthy tax cuts	OhNo-Really	Friday	#1
That's an excellent point, but it's been an uphill fight	Rhiannon12866	Friday	#2
THIS!!☝️	onetexan	Friday	#4
If Biden capitulates to MAGA stipulations	chillfactor	Friday	#3
Lawrence O'Donnell has been reporting all week that he's sure that Biden has a plan to pull this off	Rhiannon12866	Friday	#5
What? They're talking about SNAP, able bodied food stamp recipients and temporary assistances	Shanti Shanti Shanti	Friday	#9
My theory:	no_hypocrisy	Friday	#6
I think the deal will be largely symbolic	Buckeyeblue	Friday	#7
Biden appears to be as cool as a cucumber about all of this	elocs	Friday	#8

Response to Rhiannon12866 (Original post)

Fri May 26, 2023, 01:55 AM

OhNo-Really (3,925 posts)

1. The undeserving poor always carry the burden of offsetting wealthy tax cuts

It’s the natural order of the GOP world view.

And President Biden and I have a different image of the natural order of the world. A world with no hungry, no homeless and no unfettered Greed.

And all it takes is a return to the Progressive Tax rates of the 1940s-1970 without which there would be no National Highway system, no Medicare, no Medicaid. Free college for veterans & new affordable housing and federal mortgage opportunities that didn’t gouge and repossess.

To name a few.

Since 1980 the Democratic Party has had One Party Rule for a scant 6 years. 2 for Clinton, 2 for Obama and 2 for Biden.

Is this by accident or corporate design.

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Response to OhNo-Really (Reply #1)

Fri May 26, 2023, 02:01 AM

Rhiannon12866 (179,649 posts)

2. That's an excellent point, but it's been an uphill fight

I have faith in Joe Biden's negotiating skills, his is the most experienced POTUS in our history. But he is between a rock and a hard place since McCarthy is unlikely to back down after shooting his mouth off all week, not to mention the pressure he's under since his role at Speaker is precarious. At least if they can come up with a compromise that will result in the least harm, we can count on a Democratic House in two years - and Jeffries as Speaker. *fingers crossed*

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Response to Rhiannon12866 (Reply #2)

Fri May 26, 2023, 02:08 AM

onetexan (11,904 posts)

4. THIS!!☝️

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Response to Rhiannon12866 (Original post)

Fri May 26, 2023, 02:04 AM

chillfactor (7,245 posts)

3. If Biden capitulates to MAGA stipulations

I will never forgive him. I draw social security. I am 81, disabled, and homebound. How am I supposed to fulfill a work requirement?

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Response to chillfactor (Reply #3)

Fri May 26, 2023, 02:09 AM

Rhiannon12866 (179,649 posts)

5. Lawrence O'Donnell has been reporting all week that he's sure that Biden has a plan to pull this off

And, as the most experienced president in our history, 36 years in the Senate and 8 years in the Executive Branch, if anyone can get the better of the Republicans, it's got to be Joe Biden. Not to mention, he has the best people advising him.

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Response to chillfactor (Reply #3)

Fri May 26, 2023, 08:00 AM

Shanti Shanti Shanti (11,694 posts)

9. What? They're talking about SNAP, able bodied food stamp recipients and temporary assistances

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Response to Rhiannon12866 (Original post)

Fri May 26, 2023, 07:10 AM

no_hypocrisy (42,652 posts)

6. My theory:

Joe Biden's scrupulously gone through the Budget and found extraneous spending to the total number McCarthy demanded.

Let's say it was $2 Trillion. Biden showed McCarthy that he conceded and gave him the money.

The sticking point, IMO, is that McCarthy wanted certain programs decimated by depletion of funds and it was never about the money. IOW, Gaetz, Green, Comer, etc. will not give the votes unless these programs are fatally maimed.

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Response to Rhiannon12866 (Original post)

Fri May 26, 2023, 07:43 AM

Buckeyeblue (5,274 posts)

7. I think the deal will be largely symbolic

I think 2 things:

1. Republicans are seeing bad internal polling numbers for their stance on the debt ceiling.

2. Have we made a deal with McCarthy to give him some Democratic votes to keep him Speaker if he is challenged?

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Response to Rhiannon12866 (Original post)

Fri May 26, 2023, 07:49 AM

elocs (21,851 posts)

8. Biden appears to be as cool as a cucumber about all of this

in spite of the sky is falling attitude of so many which is being flogged by the media. What worries me is that the Republicans have SCOTUS in their pocket, or so it appears.

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