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It was just a few days ago that Trump and Mike Johnson were going to put all of Trump’s priorities into “one big beautiful bill” including raising the debt limit.
Until today.
Here is how Politico described Johnson’s new comments on the debt limit at a live event:
Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday backed away from a plan to address the approaching federal debt cliff in a party-line reconciliation package, acknowledging several major challenges that may force Republicans to deal with the borrowing limit in bipartisan talks with Democrats.
Those obstacles include fractious House conservatives and ongoing strategic disputes with the Senate. Addressing the debt limit in reconciliation is not “completely foreclosed,” Johnson said at a POLITICO Live event, but he said House leaders were “looking at all options.”
“I’m not wed to any of them,” he said.
Trump and Johnson have already been warned that it would take major concessions for the Democrats to get on board with any plan to raise the debt limit because Democrats know that Trump wants to raise the debt limit so that he can cut taxes for the wealthy and corporations.
The idea that Trump and Johnson could get Republicans to raise the debt limit without Democratic help was always a fantasy.
In real-world terms, what Johnson’s comments mean is that unless Republicans want to trash the economy by causing a default, they are going to have to make a deal with Democrats.
The Democrats have the power.
Trump’s tax cuts for the rich are floating face down in the water and might be pulled out and resuscitated within several months.
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has confirmed that House Democrats will not be lifting a finger to help Trump carry out his agenda.
If Trump wants to raise the debt ceiling, it is going to cost him dearly.
Traditionally, Democrats have always put the good of the nation ahead of all else, but all they’ve gotten for putting the nation first has been a midterm election loss and losing everything in the 2024 election.
Democrats showed that they have had enough by not helping Republicans with the government funding bill. So far, Democrats keep hammering the economy and letting Republicans flounder.
Republicans still can’t govern, and Democrats need to make their pay for their ineptitude.
What do you think about Johnson needing Democratic votes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
