After Speaker McCarthy tried to blame Biden for the debt limit, the White House fired back and basically told him to do his job.
McCarthy’s letter to Biden:
Mr. President:
I’m incredibly concerned you are putting an already fragile economy in jeopardy by insisting upon your extreme position on the debt limit. It’s time to drop partisanship, roll up our sleeves, & find common ground on this urgent challenge. https://t.co/HUbg7DckWU pic.twitter.com/t4zIaZUAqI
— Kevin McCarthy (@SpeakerMcCarthy) March 28, 2023
McCarthy wrote, “With each passing day, I am incredibly concerned that you are putting an already fragile economy in jeopardy by insisting upon your extreme position of refusing to negotiate any meaningful changes to out-of-control government spending alongside an increase of the debt limit.Your position—if maintained—could prevent America from meeting its obligations and hold dire ramifications for the entire nation.”
The White House fired back in a statement from Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre as provided to PoliticusUSA:
Congress has a constitutional obligation to address the debt limit – as they did three times in the previous administration without conditions. Business leaders and economists have warned that the threat of a default risks the livelihoods of American small businesses, retirees, and working families and would hand a massive win to China — and recent events underscore the need for Congress to address the debt limit as soon as possible. It’s time for Republicans to stop playing games, pass a clean debt ceiling bill, and quit threatening our economic recovery.
The President welcomes a separate conversation about our nation’s fiscal future. Earlier this month, he released a budget that cuts the deficit by nearly $3 trillion while lowering costs for families and investing in America. Speaker McCarthy and his extreme MAGA caucus have refused to put out a budget. All we’ve heard from them is a list of devastating cuts to law enforcement and border security and proposals to take health care away from Americans and raise health care and child care costs. All to pay for their tax giveaway to the super-wealthy and corporations. In fact, their proposals don’t reduce the deficit at all.
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The process of raising the debt limit is a congressional responsibility. The process does not originate with the White House or the President Of The United States. Kevin McCarthy is trying to shift the responsibility for the debt limit to the President because if Biden doesn’t assume some of this responsibility, there will be no pressure on him to agree to any of the Republican demands for spending cuts.
The deeper struggle that is occurring below the surface is one part of the legislative branch attempting to neglect its constitutional duties and then blame the executive branch for the consequences of its inaction.
Biden is not going to negotiate on the debt limit, which leaves Kevin McCarthy the option of either fulfilling his constitutionally mandated responsibility or bearing responsibility for causing a global economic crisis.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
