Debt Ceiling Archives

— Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), on Twitter, blasting the debt ceiling deal.

Soon as the deal was done, the GOPers started to bitch,
Though they closed no loopholes nor upped taxes on the rich.
Sure, right-wingers ain’t happy
About getting an ass-whupping from Pappy,
To which we say, “Shut up and eat your turd sandwich.”

McCarthy’s Debt-Limit Plan Would Lead to Recession, Jobs Loss

April 25, 2023 Buck Banks

780,000

New analysis from Moody’s Analytics finds that Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to cut spending and lift the debt ceiling “would meaningfully increase the likelihood” of a recession and result in 780,000 fewer jobs by the end of 2024 compared with a clean bill to lift the debt limit.

Schumer: If McCarthy Stays Course, We’re Headed Toward Default

April 19, 2023 Buck Banks

“I’ll be blunt. If Speaker McCarthy continues in this direction, we are headed toward a default.”

— Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), quoted by Punchbowl News, on the latest proposal by Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the debt ceiling.

Republicans at Odds Over Debt Limit Talks

March 27, 2023 Buck Banks

“I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

— Speaker Kevin McCarthy responding with bewilderment to House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) assertion to reporters that Republicans are working on a written offer on the debt limit, which will likely come out before they release their full budget resolution.

Manchin Compares Dems and GOPers on Debt Ceiling, Spending

March 3, 2023 Buck Banks

“My Democratic friends don’t want to say a word about our out of control spending and are outright refusing to even talk to Republicans about reasonable and responsible reforms… My Republican friends refused to offer any specifics, and some have recklessly threatened default, which is absolutely not on the table, cannot be on the table and will not happen.”

— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), quoted by Politico.

Schatz: Debt Ceiling Will ‘Resolve Itself’

August 11, 2021August 11, 2021 Buck Banks

“I am predicting, with absolute certainty, it will resolve itself uneventfully. Because it always does.”

— Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), quoted by Politico, on the debt ceiling standoff.

The Looming Republican Rebellion

September 7, 2017 Buck Banks

“I think there’s going to be a rebellion against everybody, not just leadership. If we get to December and we’ve not repealed Obamacare, don’t build the wall… it’s not going to be pretty.”

— Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), quoted by Axios.

Six GOP Senators Changed Vote on Debt Ceiling Issue

February 14, 2014February 14, 2014 Buck Banks

6

Number of Senate Republicans who switched from ‘nay’ to ‘aye’ on the critical vote allowing the nation’s debt limit to be extended, a copy of the official Senate vote tally sheet provided to Roll Call suggests. “The tally sheet is the only record of which senators may have switched their votes because the Senate clerk — in a break with tradition — didn’t name names during the nearly hourlong vote. Capitol Hill reporters are protesting that change, still within the rules, as lacking transparency.”

Boehner Is Pragmatic — In Secret

February 4, 2014 Buck Banks

“Ronald Reagan said: ‘If you got seventy-five or eighty percent of what you were asking for, I say, you take it and fight for the rest later. Speaker McCarthy’s version: ‘If you can get five or six percent of what you were asking for, you take the deal and claim victory.”

— Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), on Twitter, blasting the debt ceiling deal.

780,000

New analysis from Moody’s Analytics finds that Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s plan to cut spending and lift the debt ceiling “would meaningfully increase the likelihood” of a recession and result in 780,000 fewer jobs by the end of 2024 compared with a clean bill to lift the debt limit.

“I’ll be blunt. If Speaker McCarthy continues in this direction, we are headed toward a default.”

— Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), quoted by Punchbowl News, on the latest proposal by Speaker Kevin McCarthy to raise the debt ceiling.

“I don’t know what he’s talking about.”

— Speaker Kevin McCarthy responding with bewilderment to House Budget Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX) assertion to reporters that Republicans are working on a written offer on the debt limit, which will likely come out before they release their full budget resolution.

— Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), quoted by Politico.

“I am predicting, with absolute certainty, it will resolve itself uneventfully. Because it always does.”

— Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), quoted by Politico, on the debt ceiling standoff.

“I think there’s going to be a rebellion against everybody, not just leadership. If we get to December and we’ve not repealed Obamacare, don’t build the wall… it’s not going to be pretty.”

— Rep. Mark Meadows (R-NC), quoted by Axios.

6

There’s no sense picking a fight we can’t win.

— Speaker John Boehner, quoted by Roll Call, in a private GOP conference meeting on raising the debt ceiling.

Poetic Justice

Verbatim

“So many names, there is barely room on the walls of the heart.”

– Billy Collins. The final line from the poem, “The Names,” U.S. poet laureate Billy Collins’ ode to the victims of the 9/11 attack.

“After 45 minutes, I was wondering if there was a mercy rule in presidential debates.”

— Taegan Goddard, Political Wire

“He’s played through this really old entire playbook where there’s no floor for him in terms of how low he will go. And we should be prepared for that, we should be prepared for the fact that he is not burdened by telling the truth… I think he’s gonna lie.”

— Kamala Harris, on The Rickey Smiley Show, talking about what Donald Trump will do in the debate.

“I have never seen a candidate more determined to blow an election.”

— GOP pollster Frank Luntz, on X, on Donald Trump’s latest vow to use the power of government to imprison his political opponents.

“Cheney and I agree on nothing — no issues. But what we do believe in is that the United States should retain its democratic foundations …. I applaud the Cheneys for their courage in defending democracy.”

— Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), on Meet the Press.

Numerati

30%

A new NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found 30% of registered voters said tonight’s debate will help them a great deal or good amount in making their selection for president. Roughly 69% said they do not think the event will help them very much or at all with their decision in November.

$1.3 billion

“The IRS has collected $1.3 billion from high wealth tax dodgers since last fall, the agency announced Friday, crediting spending that has ramped up collection enforcement through President Joe Biden’s signature climate, health care and tax package signed into law in 2022,” the AP reports.

46% to 45%

$48% to 43%

$25 million