Democrats are scrambling to present a united front in the debt ceiling battle after House Republicans passed their budget plan through the lower chamber last week.
Some top Democrats have been pushing for more dialogue with Republicans, fearing that a prolonged stalemate will lead to a disastrous default on the national debt. That divide within the party risks weakening their stance against the GOP, which has pummeled the Democrats for refusing to negotiate.
CENTRIST DEMOCRATS PUSH BIDEN TO NEGOTIATE WITH MCCARTHY OVER DEBT CEILING
“The clock is ticking on this debt ceiling crisis and the American people will pay the economic price if President Biden continues to refuse to sit down and negotiate a commonsense compromise that would prevent a historic default,” Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said in a statement last Thursday.
Manchin, who just drew a major GOP challenger for his Senate seat, is perhaps President Joe Biden’s biggest critic within the party on the debt limit. But he’s not alone in being uneasy about Biden’s refusal to negotiate on the debt ceiling.
A trio of House Democrats, including Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME), Mary Peltola (D-AL), and Marie Pérez (D-WA) signed a letter to Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) last week calling on talks to “begin in earnest.” Biden last sat down with McCarthy in February, despite the latter’s requests for more discussions.
“We call on both the President and the Speaker to engage in genuine talks offering real proposals that will result in an agreement to lift the debt limit. We stand ready to work with each of you and our colleagues to reach an agreement that serves our country and the American people,” the letter said.
With the exception of Manchin, Democrats appear to largely be in alignment that Biden shouldn’t agree to cuts in exchange for bumping up the debt ceiling, despite some wanting more dialogue.
“Of course, President Biden should sit down with Speaker McCarthy. But let me put an idea out there, the proposal that McCarthy has put forward — that belongs in the budget,” Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) told CNN last week. “Our main goal right now is to make clear that we are going to avoid default.”
The White House has stressed that it is willing to discuss budgeting reforms with the House GOP so long as it is not paired with the debt limit. For weeks, Democrats appeared to operate under the presumption that the GOP would be unable to even pass a plan.
“Of course, I’ll speak to him. Show me his budget,” Biden told reporters during a brief gaggle earlier this month, referring to McCarthy.
Now the tables appear to have turned. McCarthy has not only unveiled his plan, but it also passed the House. And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) appears unable to pass a clean bill to lift the debt ceiling in the upper chamber.
As the pressure mounts, one House Democrat received a call from party leadership to tone it down on clamoring for talks between House GOP and the White House, two sources told Axios.
Republicans have had internal divisions, too, with four congressmen voting against the Limit, Save, Grow Act last week over complaints it didn’t cut enough spending. That internal strife has been overshadowed by the successful passage of the bill.
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Various estimates indicate that Treasury Department’s “extraordinary measures” to keep funds flowing to government programs will run out between June and August, though recent tax receipts could extend that timetable.
With neither side showing signs of blinking, the United States runs the risk of defaulting on its debt obligations.
