Do You Believe President Biden Is Corrupt?

Amidst the looming threat of a government shutdown, Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has been urging President Biden to negotiate a deal. McCarthy’s emphasis has been on revising border policies and implementing additional spending reductions. However, Democrats are skeptical of these overtures, pointing to the internal disagreements within the House GOP.

Earlier in the year, McCarthy had leveraged the risk of a national default to strike a budget cap agreement with Biden. Democrats now believe that McCarthy’s position has weakened since then. They also highlight that he had previously agreed to a deal and is now seemingly reneging on it.

Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) expressed doubts about McCarthy’s ability to rally his party, questioning the logic behind the president negotiating with someone who seems unable to unite his own caucus. Similarly, Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) emphasized that an agreement to prevent the shutdown was already in place during the debt ceiling discussions. She found it absurd for McCarthy to now demand a new agreement after having voted on the previous one.

Despite the criticism, McCarthy remains persistent in his efforts to influence Biden’s decisions. He believes that a simple dialogue could resolve the current impasse, especially concerning border issues. He stated that the president has the power to alter the situation with just a few words.

Meanwhile, the Senate has made progress by moving forward with a bill that extends the shutdown deadline to mid-November. This temporary measure maintains the current funding levels, providing a window for further discussions on spending. The legislation also approves substantial aid for Ukraine and disaster relief efforts.