Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) is breaking with President Joe Biden on the debt ceiling, calling for Democrats to work with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) on a compromise to lift the nation’s borrowing limit.
“Well, we have to work together. It’s going to take — it’s bipartisan. It’s always been bipartisan as far as the debt ceiling,” Manchin said in an interview on Fox Business. ”I think what we have to do is realize that we have a problem. We have a debt problem.”
LAWMAKERS HEADED FOR A BIG PARTISAN STANDOFF OVER THE DEBT LIMIT IN 2023
Manchin said he’s already spoken with McCarthy on the issue.
House Republicans are expected to use the nation’s debt limit as leverage to push for policy changes, setting off a standoff that could shake global markets. McCarthy, who is pressing for spending cuts as part of any deal as a concession to his right flank in order to become speaker, has called on Democrats to engage in negotiations with Republicans. Democrats and the Biden administration say they won’t allow Republicans to pressure them to cut federal programs.
“The president has been clear. He will not allow Republicans to take the economy hostage or make working Americans pay the price for their schemes,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at Wednesday’s briefing.
The centrist Democrat made it clear he would not agree to pursue cuts to key social programs in order to raise the debt ceiling.
“We’re not getting rid of anything, and you can’t scare the bejesus out of people saying we’re going to get rid of Social Security, we’re going to privatize — that’s not going to happen,” Manchin said. “But we should be able to solidify so the people that have worked and earned it know they’re going to get it. And that’s what we’re talking about.”
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Manchin acknowledged looming problems with the nation’s growing debt and said he’d like to find ways to make cuts in a bipartisan way.
“I’ve talked to Kevin McCarthy briefly about that. I’m going to spend more time to find out how we can bring things together. Then we should do that. And that guarantees it comes to the floor for a vote so the American people see that we have some solutions,” he said. “It might pass, and it might not.”
