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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow to make Trump's next shutdown even worse? Lindsey Graham knows: take the debt ceiling hostage
Sen. Lindsey Graham is working hard to cement his place as Sycophant 1 to Individual 1, apparently because holding government workers hostage for the next three weeks isn't enough of a threat. Graham is trying to put another bomb in Trump's hands: the debt ceiling. Because THAT will go over just great with the public.
Graham told CNN that he had dinner with Trump Monday evening and talked with him about "what would a good deal look like" in getting his wall. Do it, he says, by taking the debt ceiling hostage. But he doesn't put it like that. He says he told Trump that he's "hopeful we can solve more than one problem," adding "I think the President understands we need to raise the debt ceiling. It comes due in March, so why not just expedite things."
Note: Raising the debt ceiling isn't a problem unless Trump and Senate Republicans choose to make it one. The House under Nancy Pelosi isn't going to have any problems getting it done. In fact, it already passed the Gephardt rulea parliamentary rule from 1980that automatically raises the debt ceiling when the House passes a budget. The Senate would have to pass it, too, is the thing. And it's looking like right now at least one of its members isn't going to go along with that.
"His wall money is necessary. His barrier money," Graham told CNN. "We've got to raise the debt ceiling in March. So [Treasury Secretary Steven] Mnuchin was there telling us about that. We've got to come up with a budget agreement. If you want to continue to get the military refurbished and rebuild it, then we need to end the last two years of sequestration." Because now military funding is wrapped into border security?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/29/1830665/-How-to-make-Trump-s-next-shutdown-even-worse-Lindsey-Graham-knows-take-the-debt-ceiling-hostage
Sure let's throw the full faith and credit of the United States in the shitter. That's what fool faith gets you.
2naSalit
(86,963 posts)scarletwoman
(31,893 posts)Yes, we all know about the problem with getting the votes to convict in the Senate, but there was a commentary I read not long ago that pointed out that the process itself would be of great value.
The argument proposed that setting the process in motion would be a real eye-opener for the American public, with all the revelations it would entail.
I'll try to find that piece... If anyone remembers this - it came out in the past 2 weeks, I think.