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

[Rhiannon12866]

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

[OhNo-Really]

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.

[Rhiannon12866]

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*

[onetexan]

4. THIS!!☝️

[chillfactor]

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?

[Rhiannon12866]

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.

[Shanti Shanti Shanti]

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

[no_hypocrisy]

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.

[Buckeyeblue]

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?