" Guys, I gotta say, I think Dark Brandon & team absolutely nailed this."

[Martin Eden]

37. What concessions did the R's make in terms of policy agenda?

Concessions do not consist of having only some of your demands met in a manufactured crisis.

A concession in a "deal" outside normal annual budgetary negotiations means giving up something you already have in previously legislated policy.

The federal budget and deficit have two sides of the ledger: taxes and spending.

President Biden gave concessions with spending cuts and/or caps to existing programs Democrats fought for and enacted into law.

What did McCarthy give up in terms of rescinding at least a portion of the huge tax cuts for millionaires and wealthy corporations which drove the record highest deficit during a one term presidency, as they unquestionably raised the debt ceiling three times?

As I stated earier, this was not the normal legislative budgetary process. The Republican House majority was essentially holding hostage the full faith and credit of the United States -- along with the American and world economies -- to extract concessions outside the normal budgetary process.

All of which is not to criticise President Biden. He very likely averted a catastrophe which the nihilists in the "freedom caucus" were perfectly willing if not eager to inflict on the American people and the world. I have little doubt that our president through his wisdom and skill and long experience produced the best possible outcome.

What I am trying to do here is provide some necessary perspective.

This is a victory only to the extent that a terrible catastrophe was averted and that, hopefully, public perception accrues more to Democrats in the 2024 election.

But McCarthy and his gang extracted concessions without making any concessions of their own. Reducing the extent of their unreasonable demands is not a concession. Paying our nation's bills (which they have yet to do) is not a concession.

Negotiating with hostage takers and giving in to ANY of their demands is not a good thing.

Though, perhaps, necessary.

And that is a sad testament to the state of our nation.