Democrats in Congress led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (CA) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY) are hurtling toward a pile of deadlines before which they need to come up with passable budget, debt ceiling, and infrastructure bills — and it’s not going well.
Republicans in Congress, content to watch their colleagues across the aisle scramble, are refusing to help Democrats lift the debt ceiling. Republicans reason that, if Democrats want to push through trillions of dollars in spending contained within the woke infrastructure bill and budget reconciliation package, those same Democrats should shoulder the responsibility for raising the debt ceiling.
Pelosi is predictably not pleased that Republicans are forcing her party to own the gargantuan tax, spending, and debt-incurring plans. “The former president [Trump] was famous for not paying his bills, and they want to do that again,” Pelosi said attempting to pin blame for a looming government shutdown on GOP opposition to her plan that would pass a continuing resolution to fund the government while also raising the debt ceiling.
What Pelosi either doesn’t remember, or more likely doesn’t care about, is that she was very clear about who owns a shutdown and who’s to blame when Congress’ lawmaking wheels grind to a halt at times one political party controls the White House and Congress.