The Freedom Caucus Objects to McCarthy's Compromise With Biden on the Debt No-Limit, Saying He Gave the Store Away

Some Freedom Caucus members are saying they'll vote against the debt no-limit sellout, but it doesn't matter: There are enough "Big Government Republicans," one member says, who will vote with the Democrats to pass this.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tamped down Republican opposition ahead of Wednesday's vote on the debt ceiling bill.

"I'm confident we'll pass the bill," the California Republican told reporters on Tuesday.

Ahead of the pivotal decision on the deal struck by McCarthy and President Joe Biden, the House Republican Conference met to discuss members' issues with the legislation, otherwise known as the Fiscal Responsibility Act.

Some but not all members of the House Freedom Caucus have vented about how the bill does not do enough to tackle America's deficit problem.

Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX), a member of the Freedom Caucus, urged his fellow Freedom Caucus members to "cut it out."

Two Freedom Caucus members, Reps. Dan Bishop (R-NC) and Chip Roy (R-TX), have vocally opposed the debt ceiling deal as have others.

Bishop floated using the motion to vacate, a parliamentary procedure to remove the speaker, over the debt ceiling.

Roy said on Tuesday that conservatives would have to "figure out the whole leadership arrangement again" in a veiled threat against McCarthy.

However, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), the Judiciary Committee chairman and a Freedom Caucus member, said that ousting McCarthy over the debt ceiling deal was a "terrible idea."

Is it all bad? No, just mostly. Thomas Massie, who is usually someone I trust, says that at least it cuts some spending.

He also spotlights part of the agreement which returns the House to regular order, in which they have to vote on 12 separate appropriations bills instead of suspending regular order to vote on some huge "omnibus spending bill" that almost always is just the previous omnibus spending bill plus bonus money for the government, because it's been doing such a good job recently. We've been passing omnibus spending bills now since... well like since 9/11.

If Congress does pass an omnibus spending bill, the agreement is that that budget will automatically be cut 1%.

But... can't they just increase the spending in that budget by another 1% so that when they "cut" the 1%, it's the amount they wanted all along?

Massie wrote on Tuesday, "I've been in Congress for a decade and this is the first real bill that cuts spending. It also includes an automatic 1% cut to spending on January 1 if Congress doesn't pass the 12 appropriations bills."

posted by Ace at 02:43 PM

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