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It Would Appear Kevin McCarthy Somehow Did Worse Than Doing Nothing at All on the Debt Ceiling
Red State ^ | 05/29/2023 | Joe Cunningham

Posted on 05/29/2023 9:52:03 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

I am not entirely sure how it was possible, but it appears that Kevin McCarthy was able to find a deal that may, in fact, be worse than a clean debt ceiling increase. But based on feedback from conservatives in Congress and activists from around the country, that appears to be what we have.

In previous writings, I contended that, as long as Republicans didn’t snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, any deal would be a win and progressives acted as though this was the case. But McCarthy, true to form for Republican leadership, seems to have done exactly that with the bill that has come out.

The text of the bill, which was released last night, confirms that spending is frozen at Fiscal Year 2022 levels, but there doesn’t appear to be a dollar limit to the debt ceiling increase that comes along with that. Conservatives are upset about this fact, as well as just how little the White House ultimately had to give up in exchange for the increase.

What’s more, McCarthy is doubling-down in the face of this criticism.

Some of the things Republicans called for, like expanded work requirements for SNAP benefits, did make it into the bills. It also clawed back unspent COVID-19 relief funds. But those savings pale in comparison to the one percent non-military spending increase allowed next year, much less other problematic spending initiatives like the green subsidies in the (so-called) Inflation Reduction Act.

Congressman Chip Roy is at the forefront of the criticism, though he’s certainly not the only one with complaints about the deal.

I wish that were true. $4 Trillion for keeping (effectively) bloated 2023 spending levels & maintenance of the Democrats’ wish list – crony IRA unreliable energy subsidies stay, IRS expansion 98% stays, work requirements weak and don’t apply to Medicaid… https://t.co/f3i4fTlWRs

— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) May 28, 2023

It is quite telling that McCarthy’s initial tweet touting the deal got the Community Notes treatment on Twitter. As it notes, this debt limit deal doesn’t cut spending, it just limits how fast spending grows. What’s more, there are reports that every Democrat in the House – including the Progressive Caucus – is ready to vote for the deal, which should be a pretty clear sign McCarthy got rolled.

Others had similar complaints about the deal, including Senate Republicans.

With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats? https://t.co/EFpSkh2N8q

— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) May 28, 2023

He’s right. There’s not “one thing” for Dems.

There are $4 trillion things—a blank check—for Democrats.

Plus 87,000 things: new IRS agents to harass Americans.

All in exchange for eliminating virtually ALL of the House’s spending cuts. 🤦‍♂️ https://t.co/7OnaHFePeW

— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) May 28, 2023

I have been on the record as saying that by getting the Democrats to the table in the first place, Republicans had won. It was just a matter of how much they won. But McCarthy has managed to do something extraordinary. He took a winning position and turned it into a full retreat on the issues that matter most.

Getting work requirements for social welfare is all fine and dandy, but you know what would make the amount we’re spending on that social welfare a considerably smaller problem? Meaningful cuts in spending from literally anywhere else. Not freezing spending. Actual cuts. A deal that increases the federal debt by $4 trillion isn’t a deal at all. It’s a poke in the eye to the people McCarthy promised he would give a seat at the table.

Biden and the White House were in a losing position. The polling was clearly against them, and it was shaping up to be a massive win for Republicans heading into an election year. Instead, what McCarthy brought back was a deal that makes the White House look good, and any opposition from the Republicans in the House ends up making them look worse. How on earth do you look at the playing field, see a win, and decide to retreat?

You don’t, unless you’re really all in favor of big spending and you just wanted to be the leader of the party so you could have the power and influence of a leader without doing anything meaningful.

This is extremely embarrassing and, yet, completely on-brand.



TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: debtceiling; kevinmccarthy
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To: SeekAndFind
"frozen at Fiscal Year 2022 levels"

LOL! COVID level spending becomes the baseline.

What a racket.

21 posted on 05/30/2023 4:56:34 AM PDT by fruser1
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To: AnthonySoprano

The “Us too, just not so fast” Republicans.

L


22 posted on 05/30/2023 5:01:55 AM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: AnthonySoprano

I believe it: those with a net worth of $4 are seen as enemies of our hijacked state. Those over $12M are seen as far more useful.


23 posted on 05/30/2023 5:03:53 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: Safrguns
It’s everyone who voted for him as speaker. That’s who to blame.

The alternative was Hakeem Jeffries. You would prefer him?

24 posted on 05/30/2023 5:06:51 AM PDT by Jim Noble (You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows)
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To: fruser1
COVID level spending becomes the baseline. What a racket.

Good summary. The country is already clearly broke, might as well go ahead and default. It will take some sort of extreme shock to ever have a chance to right the ship and putting it off will only make it worse.

25 posted on 05/30/2023 5:07:53 AM PDT by Golden Eagle (Do you really believe Trump when he says Cuomo did better, and DeSantis will raise taxes by 23%? )
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To: cowboyusa
Then vacate the Chair and make Vyron Donald’s Speaker

You know if you vacate the chair all 214 Democrats get to vote for the replacement, right?

Do you believe there are not 4 GOP members who would not vote for a "compromise" Democrat?

26 posted on 05/30/2023 5:09:43 AM PDT by Jim Noble (You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows)
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To: Golden Eagle

Yes, default is the best option.

Default, and eventual cancellation of the debt is the only way forward.


27 posted on 05/30/2023 5:11:43 AM PDT by Jim Noble (You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows)
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To: SeekAndFind

They already passed a spending bill in the house. Why didn’t they send it on to the Senate and let them vote on it. I know that the Senate would vote it down, but at least that way the Democrats would get the blame. Renegotiating the bill now gives the Democrats an out.


28 posted on 05/30/2023 5:23:17 AM PDT by political1 (Love your neighbors)
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To: SeekAndFind

McCarthy did just fine, it’s really up to the voters next election cycle to remove the Democrats who will never cut anything, even if it’s complete BS and utterly nonsensical.

I’m sure I’m not alone in my disgust of flushing good tax money down the toilet for the funding of fish fart studies and other uses constituting fraud, waste, and abuse of the tax dollars that Congress is fiscally responsible for allocating towards the responsible needs of the Republic.


29 posted on 05/30/2023 5:23:35 AM PDT by Clutch Martin ("The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." )
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To: SeekAndFind

Budget deal is a NOTHING BURGER.

https://media.townhall.com/cdn/hodl/cartoons/alg052423dAPR-800x0.jpg


30 posted on 05/30/2023 5:25:48 AM PDT by GailA (Constitution vs evil Treasonous political Apparatchiks, Constitutional Conservative.)
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To: AnthonySoprano

Slime then, slime now.

31 posted on 05/30/2023 5:27:11 AM PDT by grey_whiskers ( The opinions are solely those of the author and are subject to change without notice.)
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To: SeekAndFind

UWS school so overcrowded with migrants it can no longer provide popular programs: parents
https://nypost.com/2023/05/27/migrant-influx-overwhelms-uws-school-costing-kids-programs/

Pramila Jayapal’s Warnings About Debt Ceiling Speaks Further to Democrats in Disarray

Jayapal also spoke to wanting “to give the authority to the Treasury secretary to be able to just raise the debt ceiling in accordance with whatever Congress has passed,” making clear “it should just be raised automatically,” as she went on to declare “we should not allow people to continue to take us hostage.”

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/rebeccadowns/2023/05/29/progressive-chair-keeps-issuing-warnings-about-debt-ceiling-n2623818?utm_source=thdailypm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl&recip=19488896

TIME TO SCRAP LOOKING FOR LIFE ON OTHER PLANETS, WASTE OF MONEY.

Audit: NASA’s SLS Rocket Is $6 Billion over Budget, 6 Years Behind Schedule

Engadget reports that a recent audit has found that NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, which is intended to transport astronauts to the moon, is $6 billion over budget and six years behind schedule.
https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2023/05/29/audit-nasas-sls-rocket-is-6-billion-over-budget-6-years-behind-schedule/

NOW WE ARE GOING TO BUILD ILLEGALS HOMES

Mass Migration Putting ‘Unbearable’ Strain on Housing, Warns Think Tank

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/05/29/mass-migration-putting-unbearable-strain-on-housing-as-hundreds-of-thousands-of-new-homes-needed-to-meet-demand/

Top Conservatives Slam McCarthy-Biden Agreement: ‘With Republicans Like These, Who Needs Democrats?

McCarthy’s NOTHING BURGER.

“He’s right. There’s not ‘one thing’ for Dems. There are $4 trillion things—a blank check—for Democrats,” Cruz responded. “Plus 87,000 things: new IRS agents to harass Americans. All in exchange for eliminating virtually ALL of the House’s spending cuts.”

He’s right. There’s not “one thing” for Dems.

There are $4 trillion things—a blank check—for Democrats.

Plus 87,000 things: new IRS agents to harass Americans. ’

https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-conservatives-slam-mccarthy-biden-agreement-with-republicans-like-these-who-needs-democrats

The Dirty Little Secret About the Biden-McCarthy Debt Ceiling Deal No One Has Addressed Yet LOTS OF LINKS.

The deal scraps $131 billion in cuts to return bureaucracy to pre-COVID levels in favor of keeping spending at the 2023 Omnibus spending bill. Work requirements are abandoned for Medicaid. Biden’s “Inflation Reduction Act,” which Goldman Sachs says costs $1.2 trillion, is retained. The REINS Act is abandoned. Biden’s unlawful student loan bailout is punted back to the courts. The IRS keeps its 87,000 new agents. You’ll hear about the $2 billion cut from the IRS this year, but that is from their proposed budget increase. It doesn’t cut that agency. The only bright light is that the deal claws back $29 billion in unspent COVID-19 baksheesh. Also, note that the two-year deal takes the debt ceiling off the table during an election year.

https://redstate.com/tladuke/2023/05/28/the-dirty-little-secret-about-the-biden-mccarthy-debt-ceiling-deal-no-one-has-addressed-yet-n752925


32 posted on 05/30/2023 5:35:49 AM PDT by GailA (Constitution vs evil Treasonous political Apparatchiks, Constitutional Conservative.)
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To: SeekAndFind

One vote to vacate the chair.


33 posted on 05/30/2023 5:38:44 AM PDT by IamConservative (I was nervous like the third chimp in line for the Ark after the rain started.)
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To: Brian Griffin
Please clarify.

Do you mean to explain Kevin's action here, or are you attempting to justify it?

And either way, isn't having a guy who's in such an indefensible position in his district back home "a rather extravagant" means of protecting his uh... seat?

34 posted on 05/30/2023 5:45:59 AM PDT by OKSooner (Kevin McCarthy is John Boehner minus the excuse of alcoholism.)
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To: Jim Noble

>>> The alternative was Hakeem Jeffries. You would prefer him?

Why was he the only alternative?

This only furthers the point.

The GOP is COMPLETELY Inept, and institutionally CORRUPT.

There is no better evidence for this than Jan 6, 2021.


35 posted on 05/30/2023 5:56:45 AM PDT by Safrguns
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To: SeekAndFind

Vote NO.


36 posted on 05/30/2023 5:58:55 AM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: Safrguns

Exactly. Those brave conservatives who were standing against Kevin in the beginning were right. I hope they just say NO!


37 posted on 05/30/2023 6:00:41 AM PDT by Hipshot 6 (Hipshot 6, Out)
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To: SeekAndFind

You can’t blame McCarthy for being McCarthy anymore than you can blame a dog for licking its a@#.


38 posted on 05/30/2023 6:25:40 AM PDT by Georgia Girl 2 (The only purpose of a pistol is to fight your way back to the rifle you should never have dropped)
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To: SeekAndFind

McCarty made one serious error about the debt negotiations; he should have spent time with Trump and got some important advice.


39 posted on 05/30/2023 7:05:51 AM PDT by chopperk
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To: SeekAndFind

Kevin McCarthy Did Worse Than Doing Nothing at All on the Debt Ceiling

/\

He tanked us,

and his solution

is worse than the problem was.

They are master’s
of the verbal shell game.


40 posted on 05/30/2023 7:40:54 AM PDT by cuz1961 (USCGR Veteran )
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