Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), 81, showing why he’s considered a fringe left-wing extremist, rejected the new debt-ceiling bill, painfully negotiated by 80-year-old President Joe Biden and 58-year-old House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, 75, a former Fed Chairwoman, served notice that a U.S. default without the $1.5 trillion debt ceiling increase would devastate the U.S. economy, robbing Social Security and Medicare recipients of their benefits, plunging the U.S. into recession. Yet Sanders showed his true colors rejecting the hard fought compromise, saying it didn’t do enough for the middle class and working poor. So, Sanders rejected the debt-ceiling deal all because it required able-bodied food stamp recipients [SNAP] to try to find work. Sanders didn’t like ending the moratorium on student loan payments also would be ended.
Bernie and his younger counterpart 33-year-old Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (R-N.Y.), both oppose the debt ceiling bill because it doesn’t give them everything they want. But how does opposing the deal help the middle class or the working poor if the country goes broke, destabilizing U.S. and world financial markets? Biden and McCarthy performed yeoman’s duty working feverishly with their representatives on a compromise piece of legislation. Sanders argued that by voting against the bill he would force Biden into invoking the 14th Amendment, requiring government to make good on its debts. Well, as Biden said, the 14th Amendment was untested water, never done before in the history of the United States. Biden’s legal advisers said it would tie the government up in litigation to most likely require the Congress to do its job and vote for a compromise.
No, Sanders doesn’t believe in compromise any more that Rep. Chip Roy (R-Tx.), part of the conservative Freedom Caucus, believes every piece of legislation must be a knock-down-drag-out fight with Democrats. Sanders didn’t voice objections to 75-year-old Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.V.) getting approval on permits for his Mountain Valley Pipeline, providing jobs-and-cash to beleaguered West Virginia. “The Best thing to be said about the current deal on the debt ceiling is that it could have been much worse,” Sanders said in a statement. Sanders statement should tell the Freedom Caucus that Biden and McCarthy negotiated a good deal, where both sides had to compromise. Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Scott Perry (R-Penn.) opposed the debt ceiling bill as much as Sanders but for the opposite reasons. Perry wanted more draconic cuts in government spending.
Sanders didn’t get his way on tax hikes for the rich and corporations, something Sanders wants to fund his many entitlement programs. “Deficit reduction cannot just be about cutting programs that working families, the children, the sick, the elderly, and the poor depend upon. It must be about demanding that the billionaire class and profitable corporations pay their fair share of taxes, reigning in out-of-control military spending, reducing the price of prescription drugs, and ending billions of dollars in corporate welfare that goes to the fossil fuel industry and other corporate interests,” Sanders said. Sander talks about reducing extravagant government defense spending but says nothing about the Ukraine War where Biden currently spends billions a month to keep Ukraine from going broke. Sanders wants to raise taxes to fund his many socialist programs, including free college tuition.
Sanders can’t have it both ways, demanding that all his leftist programs get funded while railing against any GOP attempt to reign in out-of-control spending. “The fact of the matter is that this bill is totally unnecessary, insisting it’s as simple as invoking the 14th Amendment.” Sanders said. Bernie hoped voting against the bill would force Biden to invoke the 14th Amendment to force Republicans to accept all of Democrats spending programs. “The president has the authority and the ability to eliminate the debt ceiling today by invking the 14th Amendment . . .” Sanders said, not knowing what would happen in the courts. If Sanders were wrong, and invoking the 14th Amendment meant the government would default, Bernie would lose all benefits to children, the working poor and anyone else dependent on government largess. Bernie doesn’t want to face reality, only preach to the socialist choir.
Bernie Sanders showed in true colors not as socialist but a radical, ready to blow up the system up rather that work on compromise legislation. Biden and McCarthy worked feverishly on a compromise debt-ceiling bill that worked for everyone, not just the fringe extreme of both parties. Sanders had no idea what invoking the 14th Amendment would do, potentially hastening the government default on its credit obligations. Negotiating a compromise deal required both sides to perform their jobs in a two-party system, requiring both sides to work together. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumenr (D-N.Y.) and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) both pushed hard for the debt ceiling approval. Neither side got everything but both sides protected the U.S. economy by preventing a government default. Biden and McCarthy showed that the two-party system still works.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
