Biden meets with Democratic leaders as debt showdown looms

Source: AP

By LISA MASCARO and SEUNG MIN KIM today

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden hosted the Democratic congressional leaders Tuesday at the White House as they face a new era of divided government in Washington, staring down a debt ceiling crisis and running up against a new House Republican majority eager for confrontation.

The president and the top Democrats used the private gathering in the Roosevelt Room to project a unified front against what Biden called “extreme Republican economic plans.” Rather than enter into negotiations with House Republicans to cut spending in exchange for raising the debt ceiling, the White House has stressed repeatedly that it wants Congress to lift the borrowing capacity without conditions. Democrats said it’s up to Republicans to go public about what budget cuts the new House majority wants to make.

“Apparently they’re genuinely serious about cutting Social Security, cutting Medicare,” Biden said about the GOP proposals as he sat down with the Democratic leaders from the House and the Senate.

As the meeting began, Biden said Democrats were eager to talk about the GOP extremes. He scoffed at the Republicans’ proposed 30% sales tax.



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-us-republican-party-district-of-columbia-ff8989ae082d1e11be0cf574a76143fa