Trump is back at it with his sharpie, trying to violate federal law by freezing grants and loans at whim. Meanwhile, the March deadline looms for the nation's debt...and he's not paying attention
Of course, your solution - which pins responsibility for raising the ceiling on the Felon - assumes the Felon won’t simply lie and blame the Democrats. Look at how his “press secretary” lied about the military turning on the water in California AND how Fox et al repeated the obvious lie.
Sorry. We need a solution that does not transfer Constitutional authority for spending to a narcissistic, demented, authoritarian convicted Felon.
This was my first thought. And with the Fox/Twittersphere control of the message, and MAGA willing to take all their news from the mouth of Trump, it will work. They will simply lie about why the debt has to go up. As they always have, and always will.
And Donald will plunder America if given this chance. Why hand him the golden key?
Why not instead demand Trump back off from all the most damaging Project 2025 initiatives, trumpeting loudly and repeatedly about how he is endangering America by dismantling our government institutions, threatening IGs, Medicaid, Veterans, children, the disabled, citizens trying to deal with natural disasters, all while stuffing the pockets of his tech bro buddies? Why not use this bargaining card hard, and staunchly refuse to budge?
Do what the Republicans did to us. Democrats need to prove they will take it to the mat over and over again to resist any authoritarian moves Donald makes, or lose all support.
Mr. Ornstein, you mention "he or she" and "him or her' in your great explanation of the budget ceiling votes in Congress.
You do realize that as long as so many white women in this country continue to vote against their own interests, there will never be a woman president, don't you?
A huge number of US voters are simply not enlightened enough to vote for a woman president, or even to let women make their own decisions regarding their bodies.
Love your handle…I hope you have friends in Arkansas. It gives me hope for our country. But I agree about the woman (as a former southern one), some just seem to enjoy second class citizenship. Bless their hearts.
Thank you. Of course being a blue voter in Arkansas has been a losing proposition for many years now. If it wasn't for my only son and his family living here, I would not live in Arkansas. I hate it here. Where else can a lying preacher's daughter announce she's going to be the next governor and actually get elected. Her policies and new laws have made this state even worse than it was when her preacher father was gov.
This seems like a trap. Giving a serial bankrupt the unlimited power to borrow is not a good idea because he will take it much further than you expect. Together with more tax cuts, he could create a situation where the interest payments aren't covered by revenues any more and we would teeter on the brink of default.
I think the Democrats need to change strategy. Instead of trading for specific programs, we need to put the tax cuts on the table. These are "good times" (for the rich) and we should be requiring some tax increase each time he wants to raise the debt limit; and we should keep him on a short leash to repeatedly hammer the message that Trump and the GOP want to incur debt to pay off their rich friends.
I'd go with another one-timer after protracted negotiation and no new tax cuts. I wouldnt trust Trump with $5, let alone the full faith and credit of the US.
The die may already be cast, with or without the McConnell Rule. By the time the budget ceiling deadline expires, Trump may have ridden into a box canyon with Dems on one side shooting arrows down at him and Freedom caucus Republicans on the other side doing the same. FFotus may well get bloodied up some before he gets out of this.
Doesn't the Constitution require that all just debts of the United States be paid? Thus, the "debt ceiling" is kind of an artificial construct; and the president could/should simply instruct the Treasury to pay all the "just" debts as they become due. Just debts would include amounts appropriated by Congress via prior legislation, servicing the existing debt instruments, and similar prior obligations. I don't know how the debt ceiling originated; but it seems like raising it was always a bipartisan endeavor until the era of the Tea Party and/or Newt Gingrich's leadership of the House. During the last debt ceiling hostage crisis I was advocating that Biden raise it following the mandate of the Constitution and his obligation to defend and protect it. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and Trump should similarly raise the limit as needed to fulfill the Constitutional obligation to honor past obligations created by previous Congresses. I don't believe that would give him license to pay for any new obligations not yet created by the 2025 Congress (although he may well attempt to do so).
Norm, isn' t it possible he will simply have an executive order written " temporarily suspending consideration of the debt ceiling " or some other godamned ridiculous wording? Is there anything at all in Rump's and President Musk & Stephen " Beast of Belson" Miller's conduct and thinking so far that would make you think they wouldn't shrink? 🤬🤬
Of course, your solution - which pins responsibility for raising the ceiling on the Felon - assumes the Felon won’t simply lie and blame the Democrats. Look at how his “press secretary” lied about the military turning on the water in California AND how Fox et al repeated the obvious lie.
Sorry. We need a solution that does not transfer Constitutional authority for spending to a narcissistic, demented, authoritarian convicted Felon.
It also assumes that trump wont tank the “full faith and credit” of the US. don’t count on it. He cares nothing about the country
This was my first thought. And with the Fox/Twittersphere control of the message, and MAGA willing to take all their news from the mouth of Trump, it will work. They will simply lie about why the debt has to go up. As they always have, and always will.
And Donald will plunder America if given this chance. Why hand him the golden key?
Why not instead demand Trump back off from all the most damaging Project 2025 initiatives, trumpeting loudly and repeatedly about how he is endangering America by dismantling our government institutions, threatening IGs, Medicaid, Veterans, children, the disabled, citizens trying to deal with natural disasters, all while stuffing the pockets of his tech bro buddies? Why not use this bargaining card hard, and staunchly refuse to budge?
Do what the Republicans did to us. Democrats need to prove they will take it to the mat over and over again to resist any authoritarian moves Donald makes, or lose all support.
Mr. Ornstein, you mention "he or she" and "him or her' in your great explanation of the budget ceiling votes in Congress.
You do realize that as long as so many white women in this country continue to vote against their own interests, there will never be a woman president, don't you?
A huge number of US voters are simply not enlightened enough to vote for a woman president, or even to let women make their own decisions regarding their bodies.
Love your handle…I hope you have friends in Arkansas. It gives me hope for our country. But I agree about the woman (as a former southern one), some just seem to enjoy second class citizenship. Bless their hearts.
Thank you. Of course being a blue voter in Arkansas has been a losing proposition for many years now. If it wasn't for my only son and his family living here, I would not live in Arkansas. I hate it here. Where else can a lying preacher's daughter announce she's going to be the next governor and actually get elected. Her policies and new laws have made this state even worse than it was when her preacher father was gov.
This seems like a trap. Giving a serial bankrupt the unlimited power to borrow is not a good idea because he will take it much further than you expect. Together with more tax cuts, he could create a situation where the interest payments aren't covered by revenues any more and we would teeter on the brink of default.
I think the Democrats need to change strategy. Instead of trading for specific programs, we need to put the tax cuts on the table. These are "good times" (for the rich) and we should be requiring some tax increase each time he wants to raise the debt limit; and we should keep him on a short leash to repeatedly hammer the message that Trump and the GOP want to incur debt to pay off their rich friends.
I'd go with another one-timer after protracted negotiation and no new tax cuts. I wouldnt trust Trump with $5, let alone the full faith and credit of the US.
Yes, no new tax cuts, no extension of the expiring cuts.
Great. Are Democrats smart or ruthless enough to do it? You would think Nancy Pelosi is, and can advise Hakeem Jeffries accordingly.
The die may already be cast, with or without the McConnell Rule. By the time the budget ceiling deadline expires, Trump may have ridden into a box canyon with Dems on one side shooting arrows down at him and Freedom caucus Republicans on the other side doing the same. FFotus may well get bloodied up some before he gets out of this.
I guess power has consequences.
Doesn't the Constitution require that all just debts of the United States be paid? Thus, the "debt ceiling" is kind of an artificial construct; and the president could/should simply instruct the Treasury to pay all the "just" debts as they become due. Just debts would include amounts appropriated by Congress via prior legislation, servicing the existing debt instruments, and similar prior obligations. I don't know how the debt ceiling originated; but it seems like raising it was always a bipartisan endeavor until the era of the Tea Party and/or Newt Gingrich's leadership of the House. During the last debt ceiling hostage crisis I was advocating that Biden raise it following the mandate of the Constitution and his obligation to defend and protect it. Now the shoe is on the other foot, and Trump should similarly raise the limit as needed to fulfill the Constitutional obligation to honor past obligations created by previous Congresses. I don't believe that would give him license to pay for any new obligations not yet created by the 2025 Congress (although he may well attempt to do so).
Norm, isn' t it possible he will simply have an executive order written " temporarily suspending consideration of the debt ceiling " or some other godamned ridiculous wording? Is there anything at all in Rump's and President Musk & Stephen " Beast of Belson" Miller's conduct and thinking so far that would make you think they wouldn't shrink? 🤬🤬
Seeing how Democrats are in the minority, what weight does a demand have? How does it become reality?