5 min listen
Dec. 8, 2021: ‘The least bad deal’
Dec. 8, 2021: ‘The least bad deal’
ratings:
Length:
3 minutes
Released:
Dec 8, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
The idea started out promising, at least from the GOP’s perspective.
Over the summer, Mitch McConnell surprised much of Washington when he
drew a bright line on the debt ceiling, demanding Democrats use
reconciliation to raise the borrowing cap on their own. The idea was to
force President Joe Biden's party to vote to increase the $29 trillion
debt by a specific number — then hammer them for out-of-control spending
on the camping trail. Republicans cheered.
But while McConnell struck a deal with Chuck Schumer on Tuesday that
will ultimately achieve the same result, his method of getting there has
left many of his own rank-and-file members unhappy. Instead of gumming
up the works by forcing Democrats to use reconciliation, he agreed to a
convoluted strategy that enables Democrats to bypass the filibuster.
It goes like this: At least 10 Republicans will have to join Democrats
as early as Thursday in approving new legislation allowing Schumer’s
party to temporarily raise the debt ceiling by a simple majority vote.
Maybe they’ll get more GOP backing; but maybe not.
Subscribe to POLITICO Playbook.
Raghu Manavalan is the Host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the Senior Producer of POLITICO Audio.
Over the summer, Mitch McConnell surprised much of Washington when he
drew a bright line on the debt ceiling, demanding Democrats use
reconciliation to raise the borrowing cap on their own. The idea was to
force President Joe Biden's party to vote to increase the $29 trillion
debt by a specific number — then hammer them for out-of-control spending
on the camping trail. Republicans cheered.
But while McConnell struck a deal with Chuck Schumer on Tuesday that
will ultimately achieve the same result, his method of getting there has
left many of his own rank-and-file members unhappy. Instead of gumming
up the works by forcing Democrats to use reconciliation, he agreed to a
convoluted strategy that enables Democrats to bypass the filibuster.
It goes like this: At least 10 Republicans will have to join Democrats
as early as Thursday in approving new legislation allowing Schumer’s
party to temporarily raise the debt ceiling by a simple majority vote.
Maybe they’ll get more GOP backing; but maybe not.
Subscribe to POLITICO Playbook.
Raghu Manavalan is the Host of POLITICO's Playbook.
Jenny Ament is the Senior Producer of POLITICO Audio.
Released:
Dec 8, 2021
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
Nov. 19, 2021: After months of wrangling, what’s another few hours?: If a “New York minute” is a few passing seconds, then the opposite is a “McCarthy minute” — something that drags on and on for hours. On Thursday night, at 8:38 p.m., House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy took to the House floor with a speech designed to delay Democrats’ passage of the Build Back Better package. This morning, at 5:10 a.m., some 8 hours and 32 minutes later, he finally stopped talking. by POLITICO Playbook Daily Briefing