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- Senators reached a deal on the debt ceiling after McConnell made an offer to Democrats yesterday.
- Trump lambasted McConnell for “bowing to the Democrats”, saying he had “all the cards” and it was “time to play the hand”.
- “He’s not here right now,” joked Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin.
As Republican and Democratic senators scrambled to reach a deal to avert a debt ceiling crisis, former President Donald Trump issued a statement accusing McConnell of “falling back” on Democrats. But Senate Republicans seem to pay little attention to the former president.
“He’s not here right now,” joked Republican Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, who quickly turned to criticism of Democrats. “It’s just the reality of the situation, it’s [Democrats’] deficit spending, they have legislative and executive control, they have every capacity to raise the debt ceiling. “
“I’m only concerned with politics,” said Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa.
“I will leave the punditry to others,” Senator Josh Hawley said with some hesitation. “But I always said I wasn’t going to vote for an increase in the debt ceiling.”
More tellingly, several Republican senators declined to say anything. “No comment on anything,” said Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina. Senators Bill Hagerty of Tennessee and John Kennedy of Louisiana also declined to comment, looking down as Insider each pondered Trump’s statement.
Trump’s missive arrived Wednesday following an offer from Republican minority leader in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, to let Democrats push back the debt ceiling issue by a few months; the two sides reached an overnight deal to increase the country’s borrowing limit by $ 480 billion, likely averting a budget crisis until Dec. 3.
“Looks like Mitch McConnell is bending over Democrats yet again,” Trump declared. “He’s got all the cards in his hand with the debt ceiling, it’s time to play the hand. Don’t let them destroy our country!”
—Liz Harrington (@realLizUSA) October 6, 2021
It was unclear what “cards” the former president wanted McConnell to play, and spokespersons for Trump and McConnell responded to a request for comment.
“No, I think he offered him a deal that is not entirely, obviously, with what he would like, but it’s something that saves more time to give him what he wants.” said West Virginia Senator Shelley Moore Capito, refuting Trump. Claim.
The only Republican who fully backed Trump’s statement was Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, a once and potentially future presidential candidate who is part of a handful of Republicans in the Senate forcing the chamber to break a 60-vote obstruction for adopt the debt limit measure.
“Of course,” said Cruz when asked if he thought McConnell had gone to bed. “I think the Democratic threats to destroy the filibuster made him give in.”
Some Democrats began Wednesday to impose a waiver of Senate filibuster rules to allow them to raise the debt ceiling with just 50 votes. But with McConnell’s offer, that path is no longer necessary provided he has the dozen Republican votes necessary to overcome any obstruction.
McConnell and other Senate Republicans see the short-term deal as a way to put pressure on Democrats, writing in his statement that it “will give the unified Democratic government more than enough time to pass stand-alone legislation on the issue. debt limitation through reconciliation, “something Democrats remain reluctant to do.
—Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) October 6, 2021
Still, Republicans weren’t exactly happy to be involved in raising the $ 480 billion debt ceiling. Ten GOP senators will have to vote with the 50 Democrats to allow a debate on the measure as part of the infamous “filibuster” process, with McConnell pressuring his caucus to find the votes.
“The goal is not to have our fingerprints on lifting the debt ceiling,” Indiana Senator Mike Braun told POLITICO.
But in the end, senators seemed far more keen to shoot the Democrats’ massive $ 3.5 trillion reconciliation bill than to fight what the former president – who remains very popular among the Democrats. his party – had to say.
“My fellow Democrats want to pass a spending orgies reconciliation bill that would attempt to tax and regulate our country into European neo-socialism,” Kennedy said. “To do this, they have to raise the debt ceiling.”
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