The Senate’s Democrats and Republicans have reached an agreement regarding the debt limit. This avoids the economic disaster that would occur if the United States government defaulted on its debts.
The proposed workaround would temporarily bypass Republicans’ ability to filibuster Democrats on the debt ceiling vote — leaving many progressive advocates questioning why the measure can’t be taken for other critical issues, like voting protections and reproductive rights.
The deal was reached by both Senator Majority leader Chuck Schumer (D – New York) and Minority leader Mitch McConnell(R – Kentucky). would allow Democrats to pass a bill to raise the debt ceiling with just 50 votes in the SenateVice President Kamala Harris was the tie-breaking voter.
McConnell stated that he believes he has the 10 GOP votes that will be necessaryTo advance the deal. After the proposal has been passed, a second bill that deals with the actual raising the debt limit could be introduced in the Senate. This bill would not require Republican support.
Both parties will benefit in different ways from the proposal. Democrats will be allowed to pass a temporary debt ceiling increase that could be extended beyond the 2022 Midterms. This will allow them the opportunity to put the issue on hold between now November. Meanwhile, Republicans will still have the ability to vote against raising the debt limit — as they promised they would do in October — without fearing that their votes will lead the U.S. to default on its debts.
After the Treasury Department recently estimated the government would surpass its current debt limit, the Treasury Department has reached an agreement. sometime in the second half of December.
The deal would also be a one-time thingThis is the only way to prevent a similar agreement being passed in the future. Democrats raising the debt ceiling this month will mean that neither party can raise it again with a simple majority vote, since they will no longer have the ability to bypass filibuster.
Many progressive advocates expressed dismay that a filibuster compromise could be reached on this issue, but not on other high-stakes issues.
“If we can make a filibuster carve out for the debt ceiling, than [sic] we can do it for voting rights and the right to choose,” said State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democrat from Pennsylvania.
Richard Stengel is a political analyst. MSNBC,Tweeted about the deal, directing his ire towards Democratic lawmakers.
“That’s great that you figured out a way to raise the debt ceiling with 51 votes. How about using 51 votes to save our democracy by getting rid of the filibuster and passing voting rights?” Stengel wrote.
“If the Senate is willing to work around filibuster rules to protect the economy, they should be willing to work around it to protect our vote,” read a tweet from Stand Up America, a progressive organization that aims to fight voter suppression and corruption.
Sherrilyn Ill, president and director of counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund directed her comments at Senator Joe Manchin, a conservative Democrat who steadfastly opposes any changes to the filibuster.
“So a filibuster carve out and the Senate is not destroyed. Sen. Manchin has equated the filibuster with democracy itself,” Ifill wrote. “If you can make an exception for the debt ceiling you can do so to protect voting rights.”
