Welcome to Debt Ceiling Hell
So, here we are, circling the seventh layer of debt ceiling hell. Needless to say, this entire circle jerk has been painful to watch, whether it’s watching the Republicans rule the roost or watching the Democrats, namely Joe Biden, be completely and needlessly neutered in this fight.
So, where do things stand as of this writing?
Well, we know that Biden will not invoke the 14th Amendment - he’s now made that clear - so all that remains is to wait and see just how horrible this bill is going to be for Dems. Why do I say that, you ask? Because the Dems suck at this. They really and truly suck at holding power. They are weak-kneed with no backbone. It’s almost as if they’re scared to wield the power that voters granted them in 2020, even on the heels of one of the worst, most corrupt, cruel and sadistic admins in America’s history. They’re terrified of it, apparently.
The 14th Amendment should have been on the table from the get-go. It should have been Biden’s shot across the bow in the face of this tomfoolery. He should have looked Speaker Kevin McCarthy in the face and said, “Listen, man, you wanna fuck with the debt ceiling? I’m gonna ignore it, keep paying America’s debt and apologize to the Supreme Court later. I’m gonna use the 14th Amendment to do it. You pickin’ up what I’m layin’ down. This is a big fuckin’ deal and I’m not gonna let you blow up the country.”
Instead, we got Comity Joe - you know, the guy who still stupidly thinks he can negotiate with the lunatics of the Republican Party. He still does not get that they are a radicalized, extremist party hellbent on dismantling this country, brick by brick. And after everything that’s happened from 2016 to now (or more realistically, 1980 to now), he and the Dems still do not get it.
The worst part is, he’s put the Democratic Party as a whole in a really shitty position. Whatever deal comes out of those closed doors is going to be an albatross around the neck for them, especially the Progressive Caucus. Do they vote for cuts to SNAP, cuts to seniors and vets? Do they vote for work requirements for benefits? Or do they let the economy tank?
For a party that went into this with a somewhat upper hand (don’t forget, the Dems could have nipped this in the bud back in December 2022, but they didn’t), they’re probably going to come out of it the losers, and it’s a loss of their own making. And do you know what that means?
It’s really gonna suck for them in 2024, because Americans have extremely short memories, and that’s a fact that Republicans are putting their money on.