It seems Biden has definitely learned from the past while letting McCarthy crow about everything he 'won'. There was a piece of me hoping that Biden would squash McCarthy and the Rs like bugs with their asinine demands, but this is gov't, a place where I prefer to see people work together even if it's kabuki theater fare. From my porch, it looks like Biden 'gave' McCarthy enough to claim a 'win'. I will continue to live in the idea that enough people are finally tired of the complete chaos Rs are pushing on the country, and we can make progress for having a gov't that doesn't view its citizens as indentured servants. Or like marks who will buy ‘Trump Bucks' believing it's real money.
For anyone interested, here is a great explanation from Thom Hartmann on how the debt ceiling started and has evolved.
Interesting piece by Hartmann. As I've said a number of times in response to other Today's Editions, I believe one of the biggest problems that Democrats need to address is messaging. We always seem to be in a defensive position.
The pendulum swings between successive D & R presidency runs have become a wrecking ball. We must find a way to establish more equilibrium, and take away the tools of destruction. I hope that a 14th Amendment fight ensues and eliminates the debt ceiling as one of the most duplicitous.
I wouldn't have read it if you hadn't posted it - and I'm so glad I did. And I think Biden escaped the dire prediction at the end of the article. I'm going to post on FB and Twitter. Thank you!
Thank you for this article. I wasn't going to read it - it's a holiday and I'm tired - but Eadie Sharron below said it should be required reading for all Americans, and they were right! I knew Gingrich did some evil stuff, but I didn't know this part.
I keep saying that Lincoln should have let the South go! And now this Hartmann report provides yet another reason! Think of the great country we could have if we didn't have to deal with greedy GOPers.
I have just started reading “Disunion Among Ourselves” by Eli Merritt, & in the book there is a discussion that at the time we broke from England there was not a consensus that we should be one big country, united in our goals. There was a real fear/concern among the founders that if we didn’t unite, each “state” would be a separate country, & that would result in wars between the states over territory, & perhaps some states would become colonies of European/British empires. The alternative to becoming “United States” might have turned out worse. Interesting. That wasn’t covered in my American History class.
And yet so many of those states are red. If Democratic fortunes turn enough that we can pack the Supreme Court in the next four years, I'll say, OK, we're fine as a union. But here I am, hoping to drive cross country next year, and I worry about driving through the many states that allow permitless carry. I mean I'm really somewhat worried about getting shot, or at least harassed with Massachusetts plates on my car. And I worry about maintaining Democracy, and women's reproductive rights, and we'd really be so much better a country if, like the Scandinavian countries, we had a solid social safety net.
I'm impressed with Biden overall, really, and I have been reading various pieces that suggest that there are good reasons for Biden to not use the 14th.
The 14th remains an option if the deal fails to close. The best outcome would be that the debt ceiling is removed for 2 years as a tool of the minority writ large to force the majority to accede to its demands.
In 2024, we need to make sure we take back the House, and keep the Senate and Presidency. Then we can eliminate the debt ceiling once and for all by making it part of the budget and appropriation process. We need enough of a majority to rebalance the Supreme Court and make sure the minority party in either chamber can never again force its will in bad faith. And we need to make sure a president can never again foment an insurrection or fleece the nation without consequences.
Well said!!! And, when the Democrats have control again, they need to move quickly and efficiently to address the really critically important issues you mention. We cannot let splinter groups delay action by arguing that proposed legislation isn’t “perfect,” or that it doesn’t address everything, or that it doesn’t make everyone happy. Get the important, hard work done first and then get to the other, less crucial matters facing the nation. In medicine, the term is “triage.” Democrats need to think along these lines so that we can make progress by focusing on what will kill us if we don’t act!!!
My husband is a Vietnam vet. He, his buddies, their wives...we all strongly support honoring those who have served, taking care of our veterans, etc.
But we have often discussed that Memorial Day is not to highlight our veterans but rather those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It has seemed to us this year that the accurate purpose of Memorial Day is more broadly understood. Our pastor yesterday, rather than asking veterans to stand, started the service with a prayer of Thanksgiving for those lost. That was the right thing to do.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think we’re seeing a realization that our democracy is not guaranteed and is, in fact, under threat at a high level. As I’m registering voters or writing posts cards or knocking on doors, I sometimes think that even if I did those things all day every day, I still go home to my family at night, whereas the families of those we honor today will never be the same.
Pretty overwhelming day of gratitude but also resolve.
Yours is a very touching post. You have a wise pastor.
I was moved to remember what John Kerry said, for Vietnam Veterans Against the War, to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
Each day to facilitate the process by which the United States washes her hands of Vietnam someone has to give up his life so that the United States doesn’t have to admit something that the entire world already knows, so that we can’t say that we have made a mistake. Someone has to die so that President Nixon won’t be, and these are his words, “the first President to lose a war.”
We are asking Americans to think about that because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? But we are trying to do that, and we are doing it with thousands of rationalizations …
PBS had a very moving Memorial Day program tonight.
They did a good job of discussing the many courageous Americans who have fought for our country in brutal wars in far away places. As I watched the show describe the huge sacrifices, both physical and mental, by so many Americans willing to defend our democracy, I could not help but think about the shocking contrast between the actions of those soldiers and the behavior of the Republicans in Congress now.
I'm very proud of all of those soldiers, men and women, of all races. And my heart goes out with gratitude and sadness to them and to their families. who also carried and still bear, the weight of those wars though miles away from the battle fields.
If anyone wants to see the PBS Memorial Day Concert online, you can click the link below.
I have too many friends fertilizing the jungle in Vietnam for this to be a happy day, but, thanks to them and many others, it will be a safe day to live in this country and, thanks to the President, it will be a day with less worry.
Sorry Dave. I debated about using the word "happy" but finally thought that it might have a hopeful note in these rough times . I also thought that different people may see the day differently, even if they do honor the fallen.
I apologize to anyone who may be offended by my choice of words.
My father was in the navy in WWII. He served as a gunnery officer in the South Pacific. He never talked about it except on rare occasions. And even then it was a stray comment like "When the flour on the ship that was used to make bread was full of bugs, the kitchen told the crew it was raisin bread."
But as I read and "translate" his war diary (it's in English but his handwriting was always very hard to decipher) I was so sorry I didn't understand more of what he went through at an earlier time in my life. His notes were very brief. But some of what still came across from many days in the waters around the Phillipines was bone chilling and horrific, even as I read it from a lifetime away.
I have wanted to go back to a time when I could have told him how proud and thankful I am for his service, how brave he was and how sorry I am that he had to witness and endure such atrocities. But I was too young and unaware while he was alive and we lost him when I was in my late 20's and still not focused on his war years.
I do not know if you served in Vietnam, but if so, thank you for your service and thank you to everyone else who served on behalf of America in any wars. I'm so sorry you lost friends in Vietnam. That was an especially terrible situation for so many reasons. I'm glad to see that America now expresses gratitude to those brave men and women who often were not given respect when they came home.
And finally, I too am thankful for our current president, who understands what it means when Americans go to war and who cares deeply for those who serve. Our military deserves to always have a president who honors and respects what they do for our country.
No need to have apologized C C, it's a word formula we all use. Your comments here are very moving, especially your recognition of the treatment that far too many of our servicepeople got when they returned from Vietnam.
Thank you. Too many Americans have been sacrificed in wars that America never should have been involved in, but their sacrifices have always been just as valid as those of any other member of America's military. War is hell regardless of why you were sent into it. Those who serve should never be confused with those who decided to send them.
Your poignant homage to the Aisne-Marne Cemetery is beyond beautiful, a history unknown to me. Thank you for clarifying the facts, the losses of American lives in World War II.
Your eloquent recounting means so much to me, the daughter of an M.D. who wanted to serve with the Navy Medical group -- disappointed, he was rejected as 4F.
The reality of WW II is much more vivid from your detailed, thoughtful, vivid history, an inspiration.
I spent the weekend in Normandy, France, site of the legendary D-Day Landings of WWII, where so many fought bravely, and so many died. I have a photo similar to the one you posted, Robert, except the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, where some 10,600 fallen soldiers lie beneath a vast field of crosses and occasional stars, is many times bigger. The cemetery is set among the famous beaches Omaha, Utah,Juno, and other familiar code names. In the surrounding villages, many of which were destroyed by Allied bombings causing 20,000 civilian casualties, there are American flags flying everywhere. Whereas in certain places of the US, to see a big US flag flying could signal someone with an arsenal of guns behind the door, here it is a sign of friendship and gratitude. (It is, of course, a big tourist destination, so folks want to attract customers, but still.) I have been and still am anti-war deep in my heart, but WWII has remained in a different category, probably for all of us. Now in Ukraine, it once again looks like a just war, which the Ukrainians have been forced to fight. At the same time, I know our soldiers fight with valor regardless of the wisdom or folly of the war they are in. We went to the memorial ceremony at the cemetery, which was solemn and dignified, and very moving. Heroism and sacrifice were remembered. A small US air force band played, from a base in Germany, and a large French military band played. At one point a helicopter flew overhead and I was surprised I felt both thrilled and grateful for US might. I do not know if military budgets need to be increased or decreased, but we must not cut veterans' services, no matter what. And if we can help Ukraine, then the big budgets are worth it.
Well said, NC. I especially liked your "Whereas in certain places of the US, to see a big US flag flying could signal someone with an arsenal of guns behind the door, here it is a sign of friendship and gratitude."
Ah! Hang on folks... if MAGA wing nuts blow up McCarthy’s deal and even consider dumping him as Speaker, President Biden might still invoke the 14th Amendment to pass the original debt ceiling - and be in a good position to justify this on appeal given his beyond good faith effort to negotiate with Congress, leaving all of those negotiated terms in the dust. It probably won’t come to this, but it’s fun to think about!😋
As we take this day to honor our fallen Americans and their families - many never fully formed - it is heartening to read your positive analysis of the deal our President Biden orchestrated for the country. Best to make Republican lawmakers think we're unhappy so they'll be sure to pass the bill to "stick it to us libs"!
It’s easy to play armchair politics and second guess Biden’s strategy, but with his many years in the senate and the Whitehouse, I’m giving Joe the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he’s doing.
And let's all remember this the next time Biden has a verbal or physical stumble, and the media and MAGA declare him done. Biden gets up every day and quietly gets the JOB done. I don't think polls will ever capture the choices to be made in 2024, so let's not give them too much power as we make our way to the election.
Thats the best and most clear summation (of the deal that was tentatively struck) that I have read so far. I agree that Dark Brandon handled this masterfully, though I also wish he hadn’t had to. But it is a huge win for America, because as you point out, the House was never going to concede to any other better budget deals and this got us over the 2024 line. In a way, President Biden turned the debt ceiling crisis around on the hostage takers and they seem to have been given just enough rope to hang themselves with. None of us like that we had to sacrifice aspects of our agenda, but as you point out, these budgetary issues were already “baked in” as long as we have the House as it is. Joe Biden keeps proving what an 80 year old with decades of experience in Congress and years of wisdom, can do. He’s fighting today for democracy, as imperfect as ours is, still. Just as fervently as all those we honor today, have.
It strikes me how peaceful that beautiful picture is, of the glade in the woods where the orderly crosses mark lives lost. The battle for democracy is now closer to home and more urgent than ever. Joe Biden is the right man for this moment.
The GOP wants a bad economy they can blame on Biden. You can see it in everything they say and do, knowing that the details are beyond the public’s understanding and that the “both ism” of the media will further their claims. So the smart politics is to make a deal even though it is with dishonest hostage takers.
Politics is a tough playing field where winning elections is all that counts.
Look, coming close to keeping control of the House by stopping the Red wave was not good enough. Democracy and the values most of us here have depend on winning the 2024 election. Giving a little to defang the other side is smart.
Nice how the poor folks who need the SNAP benefits get targeted but not a peep about the tax breaks for the ultra wealthy! And why even mention cuts in SS, Medicare and Medicaid. Biden basically got that agreement at the State of the Union address.
Biden reportedly did attempt to rescind tax cuts in the negotiations, and it was part of his proposed budget. There was no possible way that Republicans would turn on their wealthiest contributors.
Negotiations involve give and take. A masterful negotiator ends up giving what will hurt the least, but there has to be some “give” —or, no deal! I wish the Democrats controlled The House. They do not. Therefore, there has to be this “delicate dance” in order to avoid fiscal disaster. Our job: get out the vote so that we can turn the page after 2024!!!!
It's way too early for a victory dance. The ability of the Freedom caucus and fellow travelers like JD Vance to drive into the guard rails and flip the car over can not be under estimated. Let's hold off on any jubilation until McCarthy survives and Biden signs an actual bill to push out the debt ceiling to the next presidency.
There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Approximately 20 are MAGAs. They have proven themselves to be impotent, ignorant and foolish. Loud does not equal power. It's just loud.
I have read the preliminary outline of the debt ceiling agreement. Both sides will claim a win but I hope the media will give credit to Biden and his experienced team that they did not allow us to default and they did not allow the Republicans to hold the country hostage. Once more than ever we all need to explain in plain English what the deal means to all voters and their individual needs and programs. We protected many American voters and they need to understand what that means.
I hope all will remember those who served. Not just those killed in battle, but those wounded and the people who died of disease while in the nation’s service, for we are in debt to all of them. As we are to people who put aside educations and careers and time with our family to serve.
As regular readers may know, I inveighed for months about why Biden should use the cudgel of the 14th Amendment, and the inherent illegality of the debt ceiling, to make Republicans eat crow. I am here today to say that I was wrong. What I neglected was the need for a budget. Beating Republicans over the debt ceiling would have been cold comfort when no budget could be passed. The compromise is no triumph, but it is an achievement. And if it fails—unless too many Democrats refuse to hold their noses and vote for it—it will be a Republican debacle we can hang around their necks for years.
Given the circumstances, I think Biden did a masterful job.
It seems Biden has definitely learned from the past while letting McCarthy crow about everything he 'won'. There was a piece of me hoping that Biden would squash McCarthy and the Rs like bugs with their asinine demands, but this is gov't, a place where I prefer to see people work together even if it's kabuki theater fare. From my porch, it looks like Biden 'gave' McCarthy enough to claim a 'win'. I will continue to live in the idea that enough people are finally tired of the complete chaos Rs are pushing on the country, and we can make progress for having a gov't that doesn't view its citizens as indentured servants. Or like marks who will buy ‘Trump Bucks' believing it's real money.
For anyone interested, here is a great explanation from Thom Hartmann on how the debt ceiling started and has evolved.
https://hartmannreport.com/p/the-debt-ceiling-is-just-two-santas?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Interesting piece by Hartmann. As I've said a number of times in response to other Today's Editions, I believe one of the biggest problems that Democrats need to address is messaging. We always seem to be in a defensive position.
The pendulum swings between successive D & R presidency runs have become a wrecking ball. We must find a way to establish more equilibrium, and take away the tools of destruction. I hope that a 14th Amendment fight ensues and eliminates the debt ceiling as one of the most duplicitous.
Hear Hear! Flood the media with concise, catchy, oft repeated, themed messages with some that would evoke positive emotional responses.
Thom Hartmann's Report on the debt ceiling should be required reading for all Americans.
I wouldn't have read it if you hadn't posted it - and I'm so glad I did. And I think Biden escaped the dire prediction at the end of the article. I'm going to post on FB and Twitter. Thank you!
Thank you for this article. I wasn't going to read it - it's a holiday and I'm tired - but Eadie Sharron below said it should be required reading for all Americans, and they were right! I knew Gingrich did some evil stuff, but I didn't know this part.
I keep saying that Lincoln should have let the South go! And now this Hartmann report provides yet another reason! Think of the great country we could have if we didn't have to deal with greedy GOPers.
I have just started reading “Disunion Among Ourselves” by Eli Merritt, & in the book there is a discussion that at the time we broke from England there was not a consensus that we should be one big country, united in our goals. There was a real fear/concern among the founders that if we didn’t unite, each “state” would be a separate country, & that would result in wars between the states over territory, & perhaps some states would become colonies of European/British empires. The alternative to becoming “United States” might have turned out worse. Interesting. That wasn’t covered in my American History class.
I think the founders' fear was justified. But from 1861 on, I think the Union would have been fine without the South. Better off without 'em.
There are plenty of Northerners in the South now.
And yet so many of those states are red. If Democratic fortunes turn enough that we can pack the Supreme Court in the next four years, I'll say, OK, we're fine as a union. But here I am, hoping to drive cross country next year, and I worry about driving through the many states that allow permitless carry. I mean I'm really somewhat worried about getting shot, or at least harassed with Massachusetts plates on my car. And I worry about maintaining Democracy, and women's reproductive rights, and we'd really be so much better a country if, like the Scandinavian countries, we had a solid social safety net.
I'm impressed with Biden overall, really, and I have been reading various pieces that suggest that there are good reasons for Biden to not use the 14th.
The 14th remains an option if the deal fails to close. The best outcome would be that the debt ceiling is removed for 2 years as a tool of the minority writ large to force the majority to accede to its demands.
In 2024, we need to make sure we take back the House, and keep the Senate and Presidency. Then we can eliminate the debt ceiling once and for all by making it part of the budget and appropriation process. We need enough of a majority to rebalance the Supreme Court and make sure the minority party in either chamber can never again force its will in bad faith. And we need to make sure a president can never again foment an insurrection or fleece the nation without consequences.
Well said!!! And, when the Democrats have control again, they need to move quickly and efficiently to address the really critically important issues you mention. We cannot let splinter groups delay action by arguing that proposed legislation isn’t “perfect,” or that it doesn’t address everything, or that it doesn’t make everyone happy. Get the important, hard work done first and then get to the other, less crucial matters facing the nation. In medicine, the term is “triage.” Democrats need to think along these lines so that we can make progress by focusing on what will kill us if we don’t act!!!
My husband is a Vietnam vet. He, his buddies, their wives...we all strongly support honoring those who have served, taking care of our veterans, etc.
But we have often discussed that Memorial Day is not to highlight our veterans but rather those who made the ultimate sacrifice. It has seemed to us this year that the accurate purpose of Memorial Day is more broadly understood. Our pastor yesterday, rather than asking veterans to stand, started the service with a prayer of Thanksgiving for those lost. That was the right thing to do.
Maybe it’s my imagination, but I think we’re seeing a realization that our democracy is not guaranteed and is, in fact, under threat at a high level. As I’m registering voters or writing posts cards or knocking on doors, I sometimes think that even if I did those things all day every day, I still go home to my family at night, whereas the families of those we honor today will never be the same.
Pretty overwhelming day of gratitude but also resolve.
Yours is a very touching post. You have a wise pastor.
I was moved to remember what John Kerry said, for Vietnam Veterans Against the War, to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee:
Each day to facilitate the process by which the United States washes her hands of Vietnam someone has to give up his life so that the United States doesn’t have to admit something that the entire world already knows, so that we can’t say that we have made a mistake. Someone has to die so that President Nixon won’t be, and these are his words, “the first President to lose a war.”
We are asking Americans to think about that because how do you ask a man to be the last man to die in Vietnam? How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake? But we are trying to do that, and we are doing it with thousands of rationalizations …
https://www.americanyawp.com/reader/28-the-unraveling/statement-by-john-kerry-of-vietnam-veterans-against-the-war-1971/
And the futility and stupidity of George W. Bush's wars, and all the people--both Americans and others--who died for Bush's hubris and neurosis.
PBS had a very moving Memorial Day program tonight.
They did a good job of discussing the many courageous Americans who have fought for our country in brutal wars in far away places. As I watched the show describe the huge sacrifices, both physical and mental, by so many Americans willing to defend our democracy, I could not help but think about the shocking contrast between the actions of those soldiers and the behavior of the Republicans in Congress now.
I'm very proud of all of those soldiers, men and women, of all races. And my heart goes out with gratitude and sadness to them and to their families. who also carried and still bear, the weight of those wars though miles away from the battle fields.
If anyone wants to see the PBS Memorial Day Concert online, you can click the link below.
https://www.pbssocal.org/shows/national-memorial-day-concert/episodes/2023-national-memorial-day-concert-live-stream
Wishing everyone a safe and happy Memorial Day.
I have too many friends fertilizing the jungle in Vietnam for this to be a happy day, but, thanks to them and many others, it will be a safe day to live in this country and, thanks to the President, it will be a day with less worry.
Sorry Dave. I debated about using the word "happy" but finally thought that it might have a hopeful note in these rough times . I also thought that different people may see the day differently, even if they do honor the fallen.
I apologize to anyone who may be offended by my choice of words.
My father was in the navy in WWII. He served as a gunnery officer in the South Pacific. He never talked about it except on rare occasions. And even then it was a stray comment like "When the flour on the ship that was used to make bread was full of bugs, the kitchen told the crew it was raisin bread."
But as I read and "translate" his war diary (it's in English but his handwriting was always very hard to decipher) I was so sorry I didn't understand more of what he went through at an earlier time in my life. His notes were very brief. But some of what still came across from many days in the waters around the Phillipines was bone chilling and horrific, even as I read it from a lifetime away.
I have wanted to go back to a time when I could have told him how proud and thankful I am for his service, how brave he was and how sorry I am that he had to witness and endure such atrocities. But I was too young and unaware while he was alive and we lost him when I was in my late 20's and still not focused on his war years.
I do not know if you served in Vietnam, but if so, thank you for your service and thank you to everyone else who served on behalf of America in any wars. I'm so sorry you lost friends in Vietnam. That was an especially terrible situation for so many reasons. I'm glad to see that America now expresses gratitude to those brave men and women who often were not given respect when they came home.
And finally, I too am thankful for our current president, who understands what it means when Americans go to war and who cares deeply for those who serve. Our military deserves to always have a president who honors and respects what they do for our country.
Peace.
No need to have apologized C C, it's a word formula we all use. Your comments here are very moving, especially your recognition of the treatment that far too many of our servicepeople got when they returned from Vietnam.
Thank you. Too many Americans have been sacrificed in wars that America never should have been involved in, but their sacrifices have always been just as valid as those of any other member of America's military. War is hell regardless of why you were sent into it. Those who serve should never be confused with those who decided to send them.
I've never heard it said better.
Robert Hubbell,
Your poignant homage to the Aisne-Marne Cemetery is beyond beautiful, a history unknown to me. Thank you for clarifying the facts, the losses of American lives in World War II.
Your eloquent recounting means so much to me, the daughter of an M.D. who wanted to serve with the Navy Medical group -- disappointed, he was rejected as 4F.
The reality of WW II is much more vivid from your detailed, thoughtful, vivid history, an inspiration.
It made me cry, as did Ms Richardson's story about Beau Bryant.
Jocelyn B,
Of course — weeping.
I spent the weekend in Normandy, France, site of the legendary D-Day Landings of WWII, where so many fought bravely, and so many died. I have a photo similar to the one you posted, Robert, except the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, where some 10,600 fallen soldiers lie beneath a vast field of crosses and occasional stars, is many times bigger. The cemetery is set among the famous beaches Omaha, Utah,Juno, and other familiar code names. In the surrounding villages, many of which were destroyed by Allied bombings causing 20,000 civilian casualties, there are American flags flying everywhere. Whereas in certain places of the US, to see a big US flag flying could signal someone with an arsenal of guns behind the door, here it is a sign of friendship and gratitude. (It is, of course, a big tourist destination, so folks want to attract customers, but still.) I have been and still am anti-war deep in my heart, but WWII has remained in a different category, probably for all of us. Now in Ukraine, it once again looks like a just war, which the Ukrainians have been forced to fight. At the same time, I know our soldiers fight with valor regardless of the wisdom or folly of the war they are in. We went to the memorial ceremony at the cemetery, which was solemn and dignified, and very moving. Heroism and sacrifice were remembered. A small US air force band played, from a base in Germany, and a large French military band played. At one point a helicopter flew overhead and I was surprised I felt both thrilled and grateful for US might. I do not know if military budgets need to be increased or decreased, but we must not cut veterans' services, no matter what. And if we can help Ukraine, then the big budgets are worth it.
Excellent piece. Thank you.
thank you.
Well said, NC. I especially liked your "Whereas in certain places of the US, to see a big US flag flying could signal someone with an arsenal of guns behind the door, here it is a sign of friendship and gratitude."
That was lovely
thank you.
Ah! Hang on folks... if MAGA wing nuts blow up McCarthy’s deal and even consider dumping him as Speaker, President Biden might still invoke the 14th Amendment to pass the original debt ceiling - and be in a good position to justify this on appeal given his beyond good faith effort to negotiate with Congress, leaving all of those negotiated terms in the dust. It probably won’t come to this, but it’s fun to think about!😋
If only a handful of Republican Representatives vote for the compromise, and Democrats all vote for it, the compromise will be enacted.
“For now, we should again acknowledge how fortunate we are to have Joe Biden as our president during this challenging moment in our nation’s history.”
Amen, Robert! A restful day to you!
As we take this day to honor our fallen Americans and their families - many never fully formed - it is heartening to read your positive analysis of the deal our President Biden orchestrated for the country. Best to make Republican lawmakers think we're unhappy so they'll be sure to pass the bill to "stick it to us libs"!
"...and their families - many never fully formed..." 🙏 Heather Cox Richardson has a beautiful post today about a family never fully formed.
It’s easy to play armchair politics and second guess Biden’s strategy, but with his many years in the senate and the Whitehouse, I’m giving Joe the benefit of the doubt that he knows what he’s doing.
And let's all remember this the next time Biden has a verbal or physical stumble, and the media and MAGA declare him done. Biden gets up every day and quietly gets the JOB done. I don't think polls will ever capture the choices to be made in 2024, so let's not give them too much power as we make our way to the election.
I have often said that President Biden is a man who takes no shit behind closed doors. He knows what he's doing.
Thank you for your tribute to Veterans, and your support for our domestic supporter of democracy in the Presidency.
Thats the best and most clear summation (of the deal that was tentatively struck) that I have read so far. I agree that Dark Brandon handled this masterfully, though I also wish he hadn’t had to. But it is a huge win for America, because as you point out, the House was never going to concede to any other better budget deals and this got us over the 2024 line. In a way, President Biden turned the debt ceiling crisis around on the hostage takers and they seem to have been given just enough rope to hang themselves with. None of us like that we had to sacrifice aspects of our agenda, but as you point out, these budgetary issues were already “baked in” as long as we have the House as it is. Joe Biden keeps proving what an 80 year old with decades of experience in Congress and years of wisdom, can do. He’s fighting today for democracy, as imperfect as ours is, still. Just as fervently as all those we honor today, have.
It strikes me how peaceful that beautiful picture is, of the glade in the woods where the orderly crosses mark lives lost. The battle for democracy is now closer to home and more urgent than ever. Joe Biden is the right man for this moment.
The GOP wants a bad economy they can blame on Biden. You can see it in everything they say and do, knowing that the details are beyond the public’s understanding and that the “both ism” of the media will further their claims. So the smart politics is to make a deal even though it is with dishonest hostage takers.
Politics is a tough playing field where winning elections is all that counts.
Look, coming close to keeping control of the House by stopping the Red wave was not good enough. Democracy and the values most of us here have depend on winning the 2024 election. Giving a little to defang the other side is smart.
Nice how the poor folks who need the SNAP benefits get targeted but not a peep about the tax breaks for the ultra wealthy! And why even mention cuts in SS, Medicare and Medicaid. Biden basically got that agreement at the State of the Union address.
Biden reportedly did attempt to rescind tax cuts in the negotiations, and it was part of his proposed budget. There was no possible way that Republicans would turn on their wealthiest contributors.
Negotiations involve give and take. A masterful negotiator ends up giving what will hurt the least, but there has to be some “give” —or, no deal! I wish the Democrats controlled The House. They do not. Therefore, there has to be this “delicate dance” in order to avoid fiscal disaster. Our job: get out the vote so that we can turn the page after 2024!!!!
It's way too early for a victory dance. The ability of the Freedom caucus and fellow travelers like JD Vance to drive into the guard rails and flip the car over can not be under estimated. Let's hold off on any jubilation until McCarthy survives and Biden signs an actual bill to push out the debt ceiling to the next presidency.
There are 435 members of the House of Representatives. Approximately 20 are MAGAs. They have proven themselves to be impotent, ignorant and foolish. Loud does not equal power. It's just loud.
Sorry, I'm not hearing jubilation. I'm hearing a sigh of relief.
Which hopefully will be a Joe Biden Presidency!
I have read the preliminary outline of the debt ceiling agreement. Both sides will claim a win but I hope the media will give credit to Biden and his experienced team that they did not allow us to default and they did not allow the Republicans to hold the country hostage. Once more than ever we all need to explain in plain English what the deal means to all voters and their individual needs and programs. We protected many American voters and they need to understand what that means.
Thanks once again for lifting my spirits with your analysis of the debt limit deal!
Judy DC
I hope all will remember those who served. Not just those killed in battle, but those wounded and the people who died of disease while in the nation’s service, for we are in debt to all of them. As we are to people who put aside educations and careers and time with our family to serve.
As regular readers may know, I inveighed for months about why Biden should use the cudgel of the 14th Amendment, and the inherent illegality of the debt ceiling, to make Republicans eat crow. I am here today to say that I was wrong. What I neglected was the need for a budget. Beating Republicans over the debt ceiling would have been cold comfort when no budget could be passed. The compromise is no triumph, but it is an achievement. And if it fails—unless too many Democrats refuse to hold their noses and vote for it—it will be a Republican debacle we can hang around their necks for years.