From Democrats and Republicans, there are criticisms of the agreement made to raise the debt ceiling in the United States. Speaker Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy reached a deal on Saturday. US correspondent David Hammelburg expects that, despite the criticisms, there will be a majority in Congress for the deal.
The new bill is 99 pages long, but “it’s not really about anything,” says Hammelburg. It contains a number of new points, such as faster collection of taxes, the return of unused corona money of 30 billion dollars and the slightly stricter food aid program for the poor. “But that’s nothing compared to what’s happening right now.” This is a debt of 31,000 billion dollars.
Criticism
Both parties in the House of Representatives have criticized the deal between Biden and McCarthy. Among Republicans, the far-right Freedom Caucus calls it a sell-off of what they call “Biden’s socialist ideology.” That affects just 45 Republicans out of a total of 222. “They make a lot of noise,” says Hammelburg. Among Democrats, the Progressive Caucus has reservations about the deal. They believe Biden is falling short of his campaign promises, especially when it comes to better social services. This group is much larger, i.e. 100 of the 213 party members. But with a total of 435 members, Hammelburg expects the agreement to reach a majority.
Satisfied
Biden said that in such a deal no one can get everything they want because that is the government’s responsibility. However, Hammelburg expects the US president to be satisfied with what he has achieved. “He’s quiet on the budget front until the 2024 election.” Politically, this deal is also important for Biden, as he is seen as a weak president. “He won this fight against McCarthy,” Hammelburg said. “He’s forcing McCarthy to ignore the Freedom Caucus.”
Listen to BNR Fair| The US debt ceiling will still be an issue for you
Tomorrow there will be a vote in the House of Representatives on the agreement. The debt ceiling has been raised 49 times since 1917 by the Republican president and 29 times by Democrats. The ceiling has never been lowered.
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
