Greetings. I am a voting constituent in rural west Texas.
Happy Monday, as we, your constituents, continue to watch the debt ceiling doomsday clock tick tick tick.
What we’re seeing…
Congressional Republicans have not only rejected a new White House offer to essentially freeze domestic spending at [fiscal year 2023] levels, they’re now demanding work requirements for SNAP recipients that are more rigid than those they originally proposed. They’re also insisting on adding new immigration provisions from the GOP’s recently passed border bill — which, Republicans didn’t include in their own debt ceiling bill.
While demanding sweeping cuts to domestic spending, GOP officials are also pushing for higher defense spending.
1. After waiting for months, the small Republican majority in the House approved a far-right ransom note, filled with regressive ideas and drastic spending cuts the party knew Democrats would never accept.
2. Democrats predictably balked, but agreed to work on a compromise.
3. Republicans, well aware of the fact that they’re going to need Democratic votes to eventually pass a bill, heard the compromise offer and responded by adding even more reactionary provisions to their ransom note, and demanding spending increases for their priorities.
4. When Democrats predictably balked again, McCarthy said “the socialist wing“ of the Democratic Party is in control.
In other words, the more steps Democrats take in the Republicans’ direction, the more steps Republicans take in the opposite direction. As the prospect of “financial Armageddon“ nears, GOP officials are making a catastrophe more likely, not less.
It’s enough to make one wonder if McCarthy and his members want to impose economic hardship ahead of the 2024 elections.
Care to disagree?
