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Andrew Donaldson

Born and raised in West Virginia, Andrew has since lived and traveled around the world several times over. Though frequently writing about politics out of a sense of duty and love of country, most of the time he would prefer discussions on history, culture, occasionally nerding on aviation, and his amateur foodie tendencies. He can usually be found misspelling/misusing words on Twitter @four4thefire and his food writing website Yonder and Home. Andrew is the host of Heard Tell podcast.

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4 Responses

  1. North says:

    I don’t like the wording on this analysis slightly. The Dems can, and indeed should, pass the debt limit as a stand alone provision using 51 votes. The GOP would, at that point, filibuster the issue which would raise the vote requirement for cloture to 60 votes. So it would not be the Dems failing to drum up enough support but rather the Republicans actively obstructing the debt ceiling increase in a manner they never did and the Dems never did during Trumps wild spending spree administration.

    So it seems to me that we shouldn’t be talking about a lack Republican support; we’re talking about their affirmatively blocking the debt limit increase which, it should be noted, is itself a ludicrous legislative fiction to begin with.

    In the end we all know what has to happen. Obama learned, to his enormous historical shame, that allowing the debt limit hostage taking to yield any form of results will just yield more debt limit hostage taking and so it can’t be indulged. The Democratic Party simply has to remain united on increasing the limit and the GOP needs to understand that they won’t get paid some warped policy tribute to increase the debt limit to allow for the states financing that they already appropriated and set tax levels for. So the question will be merely whether the GOP forces the country into default over nothing or alternatively how much nonsensical shrieking they’ll put up before enough of them vote for cloture on the matter.Report

    • Michael Cain in reply to North says:

      Outside of reconciliation, Schumer can’t pass a debt limit increase with 51 votes. So long as some Republican objects, he has to come up with 60 to open debate on such a bill. To do it under reconciliation, according to the rules, he needs the House to agree to take the debt limit increase out of the $3.5T budget bill they are assembling. That might be difficult if the House progressives are planning on using the debt limit increase for leverage in their impending confrontation with Manchin.Report

      • North in reply to Michael Cain says:

        I agree and accept that. But once a Republican objects and no other 9 Republicans vote for cloture it then becomes Republican’s who are blocking the debt limit increase; Not “Democrats not passing it”.Report

        • Philip H in reply to North says:

          And meanwhile my paycheck, and those of my fellow 2 million civil servants (and at least as many contractors) gets held hostage AGAIN to whack a$$ politics from a Party that claims government should run more like a business, except when doing so means paying debts accrued and increasing revenue to match expenses.

          I get not liking government. I don’t like government. But playing with people’s lives and livelihoods is getting really old.Report