In a stunning turn of events, the Democratic members of “The Squad” are warning President Biden that he risks losing crucial progressive votes if he dares to negotiate with Republicans on the debt ceiling issue.
As reported by Axios, this group of far-left Democrats, including Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, is adamant that Biden must stand firm on their agenda.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a Republican from California, recently expressed his disappointment over the lack of progress in negotiations with the White House to raise the debt ceiling and avoid a default. McCarthy squarely placed the blame on President Biden, stating that they are “nowhere near” passing a debt ceiling bill in Congress.
However, it seems that the progressive members of the Democratic Party have a different agenda in mind. Rep. Jayapal emphasized the importance of not giving ground and warned of a massive backlash if the president fails to deliver on their core Democratic values, such as clean energy permitting reform and welfare work requirements.
In her own words, “We have made it clear… that if they give on these core Democratic values, there will be a huge backlash.”
But it doesn’t stop there. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Jamaal Bowman, both hailing from New York, issued their own warnings to President Biden.
They expressed concerns that any significant concession to the GOP would make Biden and the Democrats appear weak. Ocasio-Cortez stated that it would be profoundly destructive and could weaken the president, while Bowman added that it would make them look like they don’t know what they’re doing.
Interestingly, some progressives are hoping that Biden will utilize the 14th Amendment to bypass spending cuts and unilaterally increase the debt ceiling.
This constitutional provision, which addresses the validity of U.S. debts, could potentially be used to skirt House Republicans and resolve the ongoing standoff on the country’s borrowing limit.
President Biden himself acknowledged considering the 14th Amendment as an option, stating that he would explore its viability down the road. Section 4 of the 14th Amendment states that the validity of the public debt of the United States, authorized by law, shall not be questioned.
However, constitutional law experts have expressed skepticism about the feasibility of employing this amendment to raise the debt ceiling.
It remains to be seen how President Biden will navigate these complex negotiations and appease both the progressive and conservative factions within his own party.
The debt ceiling debate continues to loom large, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the nation’s economic future. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Source Fox News
