A report card on the Biden administration

[Sandy Shanks]

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Joe Biden summoned the world’s nations to forcefully address the festering global issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuses in his first address before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. He decried military conflict and insisted the U.S. is not seeking “a new Cold War” with China.

But while stressing to fellow world leaders the urgency of working together, Biden avoided addressing criticism from allies about the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and a diplomatic tempest with France.

Instead, Biden used his address before the annual gathering of world leaders to make his case that the United States remains a reliable international partner following four years of President Donald Trump’s “America first” foreign policy.

“We’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy, of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world,” Biden said.

The president offered an impassioned plea for cooperation, to friends and adversaries, arguing that overcoming a daunting list of crises “will hinge on our ability to recognize our common humanity.”

Biden said the U.S., under his watch, had reached a turning point with the end of military operations in Afghanistan last month, closing out America’s longest war. That set the table, he said, for his administration to shift its attention to intensive diplomacy at a moment with no shortage of crises facing the globe.

We all can be proud of our President. Such a change from the previous administration. President Biden has earned the respect of the world's leaders, even President Emmanuel Macron of France.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

ABC News reports, "With more than 1,500 coronavirus-related deaths reported each day, the U.S. is now averaging the highest number of daily deaths in nearly seven months.

"States with the lowest vaccination numbers are experiencing weekly death rates nearly four times higher than the most vaccinated states, according to an ABC News analysis of federal data.

"The 10 states with the lowest vaccination rates, where under 45% of residents are fully vaccinated, averaged more than 7.39 deaths per capita each day. The 10 states with the highest vaccination rates, where more than 62% of residents are vaccinated, averaged about 1.89 deaths per capita.

"The lowest vaccination rates are in West Virginia, Wyoming, Idaho, Alabama, Mississippi, North Dakota, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee and Arkansas."

With the exception of Louisiana, the other states are governed by Republican governors, with nearly all having Republican legislatures.

 

[Burgermeister]

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Joe Biden summoned the world’s nations to forcefully address the festering global issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuses in his first address before the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday. He decried military conflict and insisted the U.S. is not seeking “a new Cold War” with China.

I wonder how much longer global warming - sorry, climate change - will fester before it is either completely discredited and/or replaced by some other Malthusian "crisis"? Also, does the festering human rights abuses include the 10 innocent people he just droned?

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Biden's lapse in not getting French approval of American foreign policy regarding China.

It would appear that Presidents Biden and Macron have kissed and made up.

Reuters explains, "The U.S. and French presidents moved to mend ties on Wednesday, with France agreeing to send its ambassador back to Washington and the White House acknowledging it erred in brokering a deal for Australia to buy U.S. instead of French submarines without consulting Paris.

"In a joint statement issued after U.S. President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron spoke by telephone for 30 minutes, the two leaders agreed to launch in-depth consultations to rebuild trust, and to meet in Europe at the end of October."

Biden was already going to Europe in late October for the G-20 summit.

Reuters continued, "Biden's call to Macron was an attempt to mend fences after France accused the United States of stabbing it in the back when Australia ditched a $40-billion contract for conventional French submarines, and opted for nuclear-powered submarines to be built with U.S. and British technology instead.

"Outraged by the U.S., British and Australian deal, France recalled its ambassadors from Washington and Canberra."

"The two leaders agreed that the situation would have benefited from open consultations among allies on matters of strategic interest to France and our European partners," the joint U.S. and French statement said.

So, the minor rift is over. It was never very serious anyway. France's feelings were hurt.

End of story.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Progressives are a "no" on the $1 trillion infrastructure package on September 27 if the House and Senate have not approved the larger, Democratic-only economic package by then.

But there's virtually no chance the larger bill -- which progressives want pegged at $3.5 trillion -- can pass both chambers by next Monday, CNN.

So, unless the progressives change their minds, their position imperils their control of the House and Senate in the 2022 elections, possibly even the White House in 2024.

It is not Republicans who are getting in the way of President Biden's agenda. Strangely enough, it is Democrats, specifically, progressive Democrats. For them it is all or nothing. It could easily become nothing.

Representative Ms. Jayapal, spokesperson for the progressives, is preparing to make the case to Mr. Biden that linking the infrastructure bill to the social policy measure is not a matter of political horse-trading, but a substantive demand.

There is no bill for the $3.5 trillion measure. Due to its complexity, it will take a couple months to write it. The progressives are asking others to vote on a "structure," not a bill. They are also intending to tell Democratic Senators what they should or should not do.

President Biden is trying to undo the harm being caused by the want-it-now Democrats.

The Times reports, "President Biden hosted a series of meetings on Wednesday with Democratic lawmakers, including party leaders, as he worked to smooth over deep divisions within his party about his multi-trillion-dollar domestic agenda.

"In a series of Oval Office meetings that continued throughout the afternoon, Mr. Biden huddled with the two top Democrats, Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the majority leader, and separately with nearly two dozen lawmakers from across the ideological range of his party.

"The flurry of meetings came as both pieces of his economic agenda — a $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill and a second, expansive $3.5 trillion social safety net package that supporters intend to push through with only Democratic votes — appear to be on a collision course, with moderate and liberal Democrats jockeying for leverage in a narrowly divided Congress.

"In essence, Mr. Biden’s entire agenda faces a make-or-break moment, with an array of policy disagreements [within the Democratic Party] — over how large the domestic policy package should be and how to pay for and structure the programs it funds — standing in the way of action on any of it."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

In other words, for the progressives, it is all or nothing, and, since Democrats in the Senate cannot agree on the enormous cost of the economic package, there is a good chance it will be nothing.

Progressives are a "no" on the $1 trillion infrastructure package on September 27 if the House and Senate have not approved the larger, Democratic-only economic package by then.

The latter part of that statement is not possible.

Americans are being given a load of crap.

ABC News explains. "Democratic House and Senate leaders on Thursday announced they and the White House have reached agreement on a "framework" that will pay for most, if not all, of the massive $3.5 trillion human infrastructure bill -- a move meant to mitigate concerns from moderate and centrist Democrats opposed to the hefty price tag."

Moderate and centrist Democrats were not a part of the agreement.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi provided September 27 for a vote on the $1 trillion infrastructure package.

ABC continued, "But the leaders provided very little details on the framework a day after President Joe Biden met with Democratic leaders, moderates and progressives at the White House in an effort to save his agenda from Democratic infighting. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also did not provide a clear outline about when the [$3.5T] reconciliation bill will be ready for a vote.

"She also did not commit to putting the bipartisan infrastructure bill on the floor for a vote next Monday, which she had promised moderates would happen.

"Democrats also face a looming possible government shutdown on Oct. 1 and still need to deal with the debt ceiling, which Republicans will not support."

The infrastructure bill "would be the largest infusion of federal investment into infrastructure projects in more than a decade, touching nearly every facet of the American economy and fortifying the nation’s response to the warming of the planet. Funding for the modernization of the nation’s power grid would reach record levels, as would projects to better manage climate risks. Hundreds of billions of dollars would go to repairing and replacing aging public works projects. The investments will add, on average, about 2 million jobs per year over the coming decade," the Times.

It is difficult to believe that Democrats in the House would vote against this part of President Biden's agenda. Moreover continued control of the House and Senate after the 2022 elections and the White House in 2024 are in the balance.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

Psaki? - is that you??

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Breaking news!

CNN reports, "The select committee investigating the January 6 riot at the US Capitol issued its first round of subpoenas Thursday, targeting close aides and allies of former President Donald Trump.

"The subpoenas come as the select committee seeks to investigate efforts the Trump White House took to potentially overturn the 2020 presidential election and how the spread of misinformation fueled the anger and violence that led to the Capitol insurrection.

"The four subpoenas are going to former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, former adviser Steve Bannon and Kash Patel, a former chief of staff to then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller.

"The former Trump staffers are being issued subpoenas for private depositions and records. All document requests are due by October 7.

"The committee requests that Patel and Bannon appear on October 14, while Scavino and Meadows have been requested to appear before the committee on October 15."

This is going to get real interesting.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

CNN reports, "The select committee investigating the January 6 riot at the US Capitol issued its first round of subpoenas Thursday, targeting close aides and allies of former President Donald Trump.

"The four subpoenas are going to former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino, former adviser Steve Bannon and Kash Patel, a former chief of staff to then-acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller.

Politico reports, "The White House has been considering releasing the information to Congress about what Trump and his aides were doing during the Jan. 6 attacks, according to the Washington Post, which first reported Biden's thinking Thursday night. Trump has said he will cite “executive privilege” to block the committee’s requests, seeking protection from a legal theory that has allowed past presidents and their aides to avoid or delay congressional oversight for decades.

"The White House said Friday that President Joe Biden will not invoke executive privilege on his predecessor’s behalf to shield any Trump White House records from the House’s Jan. 6 committee investigating the Capitol insurrection.

"White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the Trump administration hasn’t reached out to suggest protecting any of the records and that they don’t have regular communication with former President Donald Trump or his team.

"The House panel, which is examining whether the White House or Trump allies tried to delay the certification of the presidential election, sent a letter to the National Archives on Aug. 25, requesting any documents and communications within the White House on Jan. 6 that relate to the insurrection. The National Archives has identified hundreds of pages of relevant documents, which will be sent to Biden and Trump lawyers, as required by statute."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Grassroots Republicans and the Republican leadership are fools. The current GOP is in the grip of less educated folk in the rural counties of America.

Want proof? See below what grassroots Republicans think of their leader. See below what the leadership is doing.

A recent poll conducted by SSRS found that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say that Trump should be the leader of the Republican Party by a 63% to 37% margin.

Six in 10 say that supporting Trump, and that believing that he won in 2020, are at least a somewhat important part of what being a Republican means to them.

Reuters reports, "Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden in Arizona's most populous county, a review of results by his allies in the Republican Party has reaffirmed.

"Arizona Senate President Karen Fann, the Republican who paved the way for the so-called "full forensic audit" of Maricopa County's ballots, said the review's overall vote tally matched the initial results in November.

Actually, that is not entirely true. Biden actually gained votes, and Trump actually lost votes.

Trump and the Republican leadership were not through making complete fools of themselves.

Hours before the announcement of still another audit -- this time in Texas -- Trump publicly called on Republican Governor Greg Abbott to launch said audit.

The result, in Texas, the secretary of state's office said the state had begun an audit of the Presidential election in its four largest counties - Dallas, Harris, Tarrant and Collin. Although Trump carried the state, Biden won three of those counties under review.

March 15, Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) admitted that he knows of no voter fraud cases from the 2020 election. Greg Abbott admits there are no 2020 voter fraud cases in Texas while announcing 'emergency' election reform

Is this how a party goes about winning elections?

 

[Sandy Shanks]

A recent poll conducted by SSRS found that Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say that Trump should be the leader of the Republican Party by a 63% to 37% margin.

Six in 10 say that supporting Trump, and that believing that he won in 2020, are at least a somewhat important part of what being a Republican means to them.

Grassroots Republicans, unknowingly, are playing right into the hands of the Russian dictator, Vladimir Putin. Trump is attacking the very foundation of American democracy, free and unfettered elections. Certain Republican-led states are helping him.

The Times, Nov. 4, 2020, "A sprawling report released Tuesday by a Republican-controlled Senate panel that spent three years investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election laid out an extensive web of contacts between Trump campaign advisers and Kremlin officials and other Russians, including at least one intelligence officer and others tied to the country’s spy services.

It provided a bipartisan Senate imprimatur for an extraordinary set of facts: The Russian government disrupted an American election to help Mr. Trump become president, Russian intelligence services viewed members of the Trump campaign as easily manipulated, and some of Mr. Trump’s advisers were eager for the help from an American adversary.

G.O.P.-Led Senate Panel Details Ties Between 2016 Trump Campaign and Russia (Published 2020)

A nearly 1,000-page report confirmed the special counsel’s findings at a moment when President Trump’s allies have sought to undermine that inquiry.

www.nytimes.com

 

[Sandy Shanks]

In other words, for the progressives, it is all or nothing, and, since Democrats in the Senate cannot agree on the enormous cost of the economic package, there is a good chance it will be nothing.

Progressives are a "no" on the $1 trillion infrastructure package on September 27 if the House and Senate have not approved the larger, Democratic-only economic package by then.

Progressives are determined to cause great harm to President Biden's agenda. Not only do they want it all, they want it now, this week, and the 3.5 trillion dollar economic package has not been written yet. Pelosi moved the vote on the critical infrastructure bill from Monday to Thursday.

Moreover, House progressives want to dictate how Democrats in the Senate vote. "Progressive leader Rep. Pramila Jayapal told reporters that she still wouldn't vote for the bipartisan infrastructure bill. She viewed it as incomplete until she got assurances from moderate Democratic senators like Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona that they would vote for the House bill," CNN.

Is there any reason why the popular, bipartisan bill can't be passed into law on Thursday, and $3.5 trillion package be voted on when the bill has been written, one to two months later?

There is no reason that can't happen except the House progressives want all of it this week.

That said, this is a critical week for President Biden, actually, a make or break week for him.

The situation is complicated by the fact that Republicans in the Senate are voting for our government to default on its bills. They tell gullible, intelligence challenged Trump Republicans that they don't like the way Democrats are spending money, omitting the fact that, not unlike one's credit card bill, the U.S. treasury pays bills for money already spent. Government default on those bills would be catastrophic, but that's how the Republicans are voting. Funding the government must occur in three days.

The government funding bill, if we get to the end of the week without a resolution on that one issue, the federal government shuts down.

CNN writes, "President Joe Biden enters the most seismic week of his legislative agenda explicitly set to miss one deadline and implicitly knowing he'll soon have to bow to a Republican blockade on another.

"Feverish talks over the course of the weekend led to a rhetorical intraparty pressure release, but still left Democrats miles away from a clear pathway forward on their sweeping $4 trillion dual-pronged agenda, according to multiple people directly involved.

"Every piece of Biden's agenda is on the line this week. The vote on his $1.2 trillion Senate-passed infrastructure bill has been delayed to Thursday. The policy gaps in Democrats' multi-trillion dollar social safety net are significant, even as Democratic leaders say they plan to bring it to the floor this week for consideration. And Republicans are determined to block Democrats' efforts to have them help raise the debt ceiling Monday night.

Can the Democratic Party govern? Will the Democratic Party survive this week? Will the progressives push voters to chose a Trump inspired Republican Congress in November 2022?

Heaven forbid.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

The situation is complicated by the fact that Republicans in the Senate are voting for our government to default on its bills. They tell gullible, intelligence challenged Trump Republicans that they don't like the way Democrats are spending money, omitting the fact that, not unlike one's credit card bill, the U.S. treasury pays bills for money already spent. Government default on those bills would be catastrophic, but that's how the Republicans are voting. Funding the government must occur in three days.

CNBC reports, "Senate Republicans on Monday blocked a bill that would fund the government and suspend the U.S. debt ceiling, leaving Democrats scrambling to avoid a possible economic calamity.

"The House-passed legislation would have funded the government into December and suspended the U.S. debt ceiling into December of next year, after the midterm congressional elections.

"Lawmakers need to approve government funding before Friday to avoid a shutdown. The U.S. risks default if Congress doesn’t raise the debt ceiling by a point that is likely to come in October, according to the Treasury Department.

"After every House Republican opposed the measure, the Senate GOP also refused to help Democrats suspend the debt limit. In a 48-50 vote, all Republican senators opposed advancing the legislation."

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Senate Republicans on Monday blocked a bill that would fund the government and suspend the U.S. debt ceiling, leaving Democrats scrambling to avoid a possible economic calamity.

Chris Cillizza writes, "In his victory speech after the 2020 election, Joe Biden said this: "I pledge to be a president who seeks not to divide, but to unify. Who doesn't see red and blue states, but a United States."

"Roughly nine months into his presidency, however, red states and blue states have widely diverged on what should be the least political of issues: Vaccination rates for Covid-19.

"More than 9 in 10 self-identified Democrats (92%) report that they have had at least one dose of one of the three vaccines for Covid-19. That number among Republicans? Just 56%.

"That's a stunning data point that tells a very clear story: there are Republicans who are getting seriously ill -- and even dying -- as some sort of distorted political stance.

"How did we get here? There's no single person to blame, but in my mind it's quite clear that former President Donald Trump and Fox News bear the lion's share of the responsibility.

"Trump spent the first 16 months of the pandemic doing everything he could to downplay it. He insisted that the virus was "going to disappear." He was openly dismissive of mask-wearing; on the day he announced CDC guidance that people should wear masks indoors, Trump said that he had no plans to do so. "I just don't want to be doing -- I don't know, somehow sitting in the Oval Office behind that beautiful Resolute Desk, the great Resolute Desk, I just, I just don't."

"Trump also worked to make the debate about masking -- and steps to mitigate Covid-19 more generally -- about attempts by Democratic leaders to limit your freedoms.

"Meanwhile, Fox News served as a sort of force multiplier for the politicization of the virus. That charge was led by prime-time hosts Tucker Carlson and Laura Ingraham, both of whom sought to cast the vaccine debate in terms of freedom abridged rather than a public health good."

Of course, forum Republicans will continue their tradition of complete silence. Republicans avoid what Republicans are doing. That is due to the fact that they don't have the intelligence and background on the important issues that beset us today. They are too busy making up unflattering fantasies about our President.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Progressives are determined to cause great harm to President Biden's agenda. Not only do they want it all, they want it now, this week, and the 3.5 trillion dollar economic package has not been written yet.

I have been following politics for over a half century. What I am witnessing now is the strangest phenomenon in my political lifetime.

I honestly thought I could never be surprised any more, especially after Americans elected a dimwit for President in 2016. That said, I am totally shocked by what certain Democrats are doing.

The $1.2 trillion infrastructure plan is enormously popular. Don't take my word for it. Here is what Politico has to say about it.

"We have some fresh polling results from our weekly collaboration with Morning Consult, and they offer some good news for President JOE BIDEN, whose domestic policy agenda continues to poll above his job approval number. The bipartisan infrastructure bill remains quite popular: 56% support, 27% oppose.

Even Republicans support it. The bill passed in the Senate 69 to 30. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell voted for it.

So, what is so strange?

Because the infrastructure plan is so popular, because an overwhelming majority of Americans want the bill passed, because infrastructure will immediately create jobs, because even Republicans support the Biden initiative, certain Democrats are going to vote against the American people and the Democratic President's agenda on Thursday.

ABC News reports, "Progressive Democrats on Tuesday starkly warned House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other party leaders that their position on President Joe Biden's infrastructure agenda remains unchanged: Without a deal on a broader, social policy [$3.5 trillion] bill, they do not intend to support a bipartisan infrastructure bill that Pelosi wants to bring to a vote this Thursday.

Sen. Bernie Sanders urged progressives to vote down the bill saying, "I strongly urge my House colleagues to vote against the bipartisan infrastructure bill until Congress passes a strong reconciliation bill."

Nearly every Democrat in Congress supports the reconciliation bill, but the bill hasn't been written yet, and it will take up to two months to iron out the details. There is not even agre3ement on the price tag. The problem is, Democrats like Sanders want it now! They want an agreement on a "strong reconciliation bill" this week, noting there is no such bill.

Can you say strange?

 

[justinacolmena]

Barring ill-advised preconceived notions about President Biden, his task should be easy. We are all Americans

Give up your guns. Hands behind your back. Just let them put the cuffs on you.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

Because the infrastructure plan is so popular, because an overwhelming majority of Americans want the bill passed, because infrastructure will immediately create jobs, because even Republicans support the Biden initiative, certain Democrats are going to vote against the American people and the Democratic President's agenda on Thursday.

The Times reports, "Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Thursday vowed to push ahead with a House vote on a $1 trillion infrastructure bill that passed the Senate with bipartisan support, driving Democrats toward a showdown between moderate supporters of the bill and liberals who have said they will bring it down without progress on a separate social policy measure."

The bill for the social policy measure has not been written yet. Because of it complexity, it is likely to require roughly two months to complete.

In the meantime, it would appear that progressives in the House want to bring President Biden down.

To illustrate this, CNN writes, "Joe Biden's presidency agenda is on the ropes. His approval rating is at the lowest point it's been, and now, there are real questions about whether Biden's infrastructure plan and a larger social agenda spending package will get through Congress."

If the dreamy, immature, all or nothing progressives have their way, unpopular Democrats will be voted out in 2022, and we will end up with a Republican President in 2024.

It would not be the first time progressive have done this.

In 2016, Bernie Sanders and the progressives were responsible for the Trump administration.

Bernie Sanders voters helped Trump win and here's proof

According to CNN, 70% of Americans support the infrastructure plan. Democrats, Republicans, and independents all endorse the bill. It is why the progressives are using it as extortion because they think their $3.5 trillion reconciliation package can't pass on its own merits.

Because of that factor, today it is quite likely that progressives will join Republicans in defeating President Biden's infrastructure plan, contributing to the possibility that Democrats will lose control of Congress in 2022, and that a Republican will be elected President in 2024, recalling that Biden is already under water and that hasn't happened yet. A President and his party can't continue to fail and expect to be reelected.

I sincerely hope I am wrong, but I have gotten the latest information, and the latest information is that both Republicans and progressives in the House will vote against our President's agenda.

Here is what is scary.

All polls show a large majority of Republicans agree Trump is the leader of the Republican Party. The polls also show that a majority of Republicans still believe the election was stolen from Trump.

Now try to imagine Trump or a Trump Republican being elected President in 2024.

I said it was scary.

What the progressives are doing to an already vulnerable President will enhance the possibility of that happening.

I want to be wrong about all this. Maybe by nine tonight a deal can be made, and the progressives blink, finally understanding what they are doing.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

It is why the progressives are using it as extortion because they think their $3.5 trillion reconciliation package can't pass on its own merits.

There is a strict limit on how often Congress can use budget reconciliation. Basically, it’s limited to one spending/revenue bill per year, or per budget resolution. This obscure Senate rule might be Donald Trump’s best hope for passing his agenda

Republicans in the Senate are attempting to force the Democrats to use reconciliation to raise the debt ceiling.

The Post reports, "Republicans led by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) have blocked multiple attempts to address the debt ceiling in recent days, arguing that Democrats should use a process known as reconciliation to address the issue."

Now that should make things interesting.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

There is a strict limit on how often Congress can use budget reconciliation. Basically, it’s limited to one spending/revenue bill per year, or per budget resolution. This obscure Senate rule might be Donald Trump’s best hope for passing his agenda

President Joe Biden vowed on Friday that Democrats will deliver on their agenda.

"We're going to get this done," Biden told reporters. Pressed on a timeline, the President said, "It doesn't matter when. It doesn't whether it's in six minutes, six days, or six weeks -- we're going to get it done."

So, no more target dates for getting things done. Is delay in achievements a win for the progressives, slowing the Biden agenda? Progressive leaders are now open to negotiating the price tag for the $3.5 trillion social economic package.

CNN reports, "As they left the meeting with Biden, several lawmakers said that the President had informed them that the top-line number where they are likely to find agreement is somewhere between $1.9 trillion and around $2 trillion."

However, the Democrats have a very serious problem.

The social economic package is often referred to as the reconciliation bill because the only way it will become a reality is a Democrats only vote. That is reconciliation, but it can only be used once a year.

The debt ceiling needs to be raised immediately.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has told lawmakers the U.S. will run out of ways to pay its bills around Oct. 18. If Congress fails to suspend or raise the debt limit before the deadline, lawmakers risk a default that could cost millions of jobs, jeopardize government benefits and crash the financial markets.

Senate Republicans will not cooperate with the Democrats. CNN reports, "Republicans have shot down two other Democratic efforts to address the issue. Republicans insist Democrats should raise the limit on their own."

Meaning reconciliation.

The Hill reports, "Republicans are attempting to use the debt limit to roil Biden’s economic agenda by forcing Democrats to raise the ceiling through the budget reconciliation process — the vehicle for their multi-trillion dollar social services and climate bill."

Therein lies the problem. Do the Democrats use reconciliation on the social economic package or raising the debt ceiling.

The Hill continued, "Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters Wednesday that Democrats will not use budget reconciliation to raise the federal debt ceiling, raising doubts over whether Congress will find a way to avert potential economic disaster.

"Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) also shot down using that process to prevent the U.S. from defaulting on its debt."

The debt ceiling needs to be raised to pay off "debt." in others words, existing bills, 98% of which were accrued before Biden took office. Most of that debt occurred during the Republican administration of Donald J. Trump. That is why Democrats are insisting that Republicans share in the responsibility of raising the debt ceiling.

 

[Sandy Shanks]

There is a strict limit on how often Congress can use budget reconciliation. Basically, it’s limited to one spending/revenue bill per year, or per budget resolution. This obscure Senate rule might be Donald Trump’s best hope for passing his agenda

For more background on this issue, please read post #699. This is an important issue for nearly everyone. Here's why.

Failure to raise the debt ceiling in time could halt payments that millions of Americans rely on, including paychecks to federal workers, Medicare benefits, military salaries, tax refunds, Social Security checks and payments to federal contractors. It could cause job losses, a shutdown of tens of billions in Covid-19 economic recovery aid still set to be delivered, and a near-freeze in credit markets.

CNN reports, "Congress has until October 18 to increase the country's borrowing limit, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned lawmakers last week, a date that is now just two weeks away. When asked by a reporter if he could guarantee the US won't hit the debt ceiling, Biden said, "No I can't -- that's up to Mitch McConnell.

"Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader McConnell, argue that Democrats should handle the debt ceiling on their own by using a special budget process known as reconciliation, which would not require Republicans to vote on it. But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer have said they are opposed to that idea and they believe it is Republicans' responsibility to help pay down debts that were incurred by both parties."

"Not only are Republicans refusing to do their job, but they're threatening to use their power to prevent us from doing our job -- saving the economy from a catastrophic event," President Biden said.

"Republicans in Congress raised the debt three times when Donald Trump was President, and each time with Democrats' support. But now they won't raise it even though they're responsible for more than $8 trillion in bills incurred in four years under the previous administration," Biden said.

“Republicans just have to let us do our job. Just get out of the way. If you don’t want to help save the country, get out of the way so you don’t destroy it,” Biden added.

What did Biden mean by that? Democrats could pass a debt ceiling all on their own with a simple majority in the Senate if McConnell and his crew didn't fillibuster. But Republicans have promised to fillibuster to prevent raising the debt ceiling.

Raising the debt limit would pay off previous debts and that it would not be connected to new spending being considered.

Forum Republicans will remain silent about all this. As a general rule, forum Republicans do not discuss what Republicans are doing.