Biden gets win over Trump's MAGA movement with debt ceiling deal
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
The recent debt-ceiling deal reached between President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy perfectly illustrates MAGA's all-holler/no-action status.
Rex HuppkeUSA TODAY
I have bad news for folks who invested in bright red "Make America Great Again" hats and devoted years of their lives to what former President Donald Trump routinely calls "the greatest political movement in the history of our country."
The MAGA movement, with each passing day, appears smaller and more impotent. It's loud but ineffective, capable of creating chaos but incapable of success.
The recent debt-ceiling deal reached between President Joe Biden and Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy perfectly illustrates MAGA's all-holler/no-action status.
MAGA's debt-ceiling red line was easily crossed by Kevin McCarthy
This was the none-shall-pass for moment for far-right Republicans in Congress, a chance to use the threat of economic disaster that would accompany a default to un-do all the things Big Bad Biden has accomplished as president, to slash spending to the bone and poke holes in the safety net.
"I say to the Republicans out there - congressmen, senators - if they don't give you massive cuts, you're going to have to do a default," Trump said during a CNN town hall.
Republican Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, chair of the Republican Study Committee told Axios he agreed with Trump. And Rep. Ralph Norman of North Carolina said: "Either they agree to cuts, which are modest, or they take responsibility for whatever happens."
The Republican Party's debt-ceiling threats met up with Dark Brandon
McCarthy caved to MAGA demands and initially produced a debt-ceiling bill that would have gutted much of what Biden accomplished in his first two years. It was a wholly unreasonable proposal, aimed at appeasing the extremes of McCarthy's own party.
But the final deal the speaker hammered out with Biden was nothing close to what MAGA lawmakers wanted.
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The original bill sought a 10-year cap on spending, with draconian cuts to non-defense spending. The final deal puts minor spending restraints in place for the next two years. They wanted strict (and unnecessary) work requirements on SNAP recipients and people on Medicaid. Medicaid went untouched, and the dynamics of the change in work requirements for SNAP recipients, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, will actually increase government spending on food stamps.
The original bill cut the $80 billion allotted to the IRS for one decade, part of Biden's Inflation Reduction Act. Only $10 billion per year for two years was cut in the final deal.
The debt-ceiling deal is 'ridiculous' and 'a bunch of fake news'
Notable MAGA-enthused folks were disgusted with the agreement.
Before the vote, Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado said the bill is "a bunch of fake news and fake talking points that will do nothing to reign in out of control federal spending." Rep. Andy Biggs of Arizona called it a "ridiculous, ephemeral deal" that is "one of the biggest abominations" he has seen.
Texas Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the MAGA-aligned Freedom Caucus, said: "The Republican conference right now has been torn asunder. Not one Republican should vote for this deal - not one."
In the House, 149 Republicans voted in favor of the deal, 68% of the chamber's GOP members.
Whomp-whomp.
What happened? Republicans who aren't wholly aligned with Trump and his MAGA movement did their jobs and voted for a bill that got them some of what they wanted and saved the global economy from collapse.
The MAGA outcry over the debt-ceiling deal was noisy, as usual
Trump loyalist Steve Bannon said on his podcast that Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries came out of the debt ceiling deal as "the man." Bannon dubbed Jeffries the real majority leader and used a rather derogatory word for McCarthy.
But again, MAGA is all talk. They won't be able to kick McCarthy out as speaker. Just as they weren't able to stop Biden from largely winning the debt-ceiling fight. Just as they weren't able to help Republicans achieve a "red wave" in the midterm elections, or help Trump win in the 2020 presidential election.
Even Texas Republicans ignored a threat from Trump
Speaking of the former president, when Texas Republicans decided to impeach the state's attorney general, hardcore Trump-backer Ken Paxton, Trump rushed to Paxton's defense and threatened any state Republicans who dare cross him: "Hopefully Republicans in the Texas House will agree that this is a very unfair process that should not be allowed to happen or proceed—I will fight you if it does."
Not long after that threat, the Republican-controlled Texas House voted overwhelmingly — 121 to 23 — to impeach Paxton. Apparently they weren't intimidated, nor should they have been.
Let's stop treating Trump and MAGA as some all-powerful force
MAGA, as a movement, has more than proven itself to be a paper tiger. A loud one, sure. One that can stir up all kinds of dust and threats and unhinged accusations. But a paper tiger nonetheless.
It's time Republicans and the rest of us stop being cowed by Trump and his perversely loyal fan base, with their red hats and noisy chants and cult-like attraction to a man who, as they will one day tragically learn, doesn't care a whit about them.
The power of MAGA is a mirage. That's why McCarthy hedged his bets and struck a deal with Biden. He knew he could beat back Trump's toadies.
And that's exactly what he did.
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Another BIG WIN for Biden!
So you think that he negotiated over the debt ceiling afterall?
Didn't he say months ago that there would be no negotiation over the debt?
Why...yes...yes he did.
Then he caved.
McCarthy handed him...and leftists...their asses.
Biden Caved!
Just think what will happen when the Republicans win the presidency, retain the House, and gain a few seats in the Senate
If republicans regain the senate at least nobody will have to explain to Fienstein what Harris is doing there to cast the tie breaking vote.
They better put up some better fucking candidates then. Out here in AZ Kari Lake is making noise about running for Sinema's seat and so far she's unopposed on the Republican side. I think out of the two partisan candidates and Sinema, that Sinema stands the best chance of winning but it will undoubtedly come down to how much money does the political parties pour into the state.
And McCarthy got rolled.
Of course McCarthy got rolled.
He is cut from the same Establishment puke cloth as Brandon.
There was never going to be a failure to pass a debt ceiling increase. McCarthy fucked over the conservative members of his caucus; and was given some token gestures on the debt.
They will go through the same song and dance next time around- but that will be in two years because McCarthy did the stupid thing and agreed to suspend the debt ceiling for two years. He did that to protect himself as much as Brandon.
Don't worry; uncontrolled spending will still be the norm in DC. Along with both parties blaming each other for the ever mounting debt. It is the only thing the two sides can agree on.
the former 'president' and his maga movement is nothing but a messy bowel MOVEMENT of purely liquid diarrhea
Biden got rolled no matter how hard the sycophant tries to spin it.
This fool thinks this is a win? Is he moron in real life or does he put party over his own personal integrity?
For the math challenged Biden’s bill added 8 billion a year for 10 years, the republicans just cut 10 billion per year. That is a 2 billion a year cut to their current budget, and a lot can happen in 2 years, especially with how many seats the democrats are having to defend in the senate this time.
The author managed to squeeze MAGA in 30 plus time so the leftest idiots will focus on that and not the actual facts.
Isn't that the key? Focus on the other side and ignore the facts. We tend to see that all day long here also as well as from main-stream media.
Was it a clean increase?
Biden and the democrats had the chance to pass a clean hike via reconciliation months ago, but chose not to. They though they could get a clean hike and destroy McCarthy in the process because republicans would never pass a bill.
Biden lost and McCarthy is probably stronger than ever.
How much drama and fear could have been avoided had the two sides gotten together from the beginning to handle this rather than this useless Kabuki Theater act dealing with political partisanship that we were forced to watch. I don't blame Biden and his sycophants in main-stream media, Biden is a life-long politician where political spin to claim victory is second nature and the main-stream media is so in-bed with the left they will do anything to protect their "messiah".
Fear and drama is the coin of the political party.. But it sure gets tiring.
That's fucking hilarious. Today's gqp will never cooperate with the DEMOCRATS/LIBERALS/PROGRESSIVES - must appease the magats
It sure does get tiring - this both sides equally guilty BULLSHIT
And again you're wrong. The two sides did just cooperate to pass the bill. But feel free to ignore the truth so that you can continue to feed your bullshit.
Perhaps someday you will come out of your partisan bewilderment and realize that there is little difference between the two parties.
I really don't think Brandon and the Democrats want to destroy McCarthy. They destroy him and they are left to deal with whomever the hard right Republicans in the House allow to become the next Speaker. The new Speaker might not be Establishment, like McCarthy is. They also might not be so inclined to screw over their own caucus like McCarthy did.
McCarthy got a few minor victories on the debt. He was allowed to set the narrative with the media- in fact he hogged the media during the entire process. Outside of the White House saying things were "proceeding well"; there was no mention of the negotiations by the Democrats. Schumer allowed the Senate to be cut out of the process completely.
It was the Establishment in both parties that voted to get the bill passed. In fact more Democrats voted for it than Republicans.
Brandon can afford to take the hit. It is not like his narrative is going to change before the 2024 general elections. "He isn't Trump" is what he will run on again.
McCarthy is now firmly entrenched as Speaker. Republicans, even the hard line conservatives that feel betrayed, will be hard pressed to remove him.
Democrats (along with McCarthy) got a two year reprieve on the next debt ceiling increase. Spending will slow down very little; if at all. I am sure they can manufacture enough emergencies to blow out spending over the next two years- in spite of the agreement over the debt limit they just signed.
I guess this "win" for Biden is the reason The Squad and notable Democratic Senators like Sanders, Warren, and Fetterman all voted against the bill.
Gee, that makes me wonder what Biden will have to do to win the support of these radical progressives?
Our irresponsible politicians created a 'crisis' and now are trying to claim credit as heroes for averting the 'crisis' of their own making.
I am so sick of politicians and their outrageous bullshit.
It is the system we all allow to stay in place.
We only have the two Establishment parties- voting for anyone w/o a R or D behind their name is a waste of a vote. They either won't win; or the Establishment will do everything in their power to make sure they don't succeed if elected. Unless, they can corrupt them and make them a part of the Establishment.
Hold your nose and pick the one with the R or D behind their names; but don't ever expect anything substantial to change.
A well-conceived, thoughtful comment.
Everyone who actually believed we would default needs to have their heads examined.
We go through this every few years, both sides act like it is some huge crisis, they yell and bitch and eventually, always, pass what is necessary.
It would be political suicide for any member of Congress to allow us to default.
All this Chicken Little stuff is for suckers.
It's the best that they can do to create some false drama. In the 2013 deal, the country went into government sequester. I was required to take 14 furlough days, unpaid additional vacation days. Of course when the final deal was reached, Congress paid me for those extra fourteen days off - good deal.