Conservatives bash the budget deal: 'The president got whatever he wanted'
The White House and congressional leaders may have reached a tentative budget deal Monday night, but conservatives are making it known that they're not thrilled about the compromise. Politico reports that almost as soon as GOP lawmakers emerged from a briefing with party leaders Monday, they started expressing their doubts over a deal that would increase defense and domestic spending over the next two years and raise the debt limit.
Here's a full list of their grievances:
1. The deal's quick turnaround
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"I have strong concerns given that we did a budget earlier this year [and] took $7 trillion out of the president's budget over the next 10 years. These last-minute deals make me very nervous." — Sen. David Perdue (R-Ga.)
2. How much the deal concedes to Democrats — and retiring House Speaker John Boehner
"What does Boehner got to do with it? I'm worried about how fast it's moving. I see no reason for that. Based on what I know now, it appears the president got whatever he wanted." — Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.)
3. The GOP leadership's handling of the deal
"We're not just here to take commands. We're really tired of the top-down, micromanagement where you have just a few people, or in this case just the speaker and his team, determining the outcome. This is a fair reason to vote against the bill." — Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.)
4. The seeming retreat from staunch spending restrictions
"I have some concerns. You hope that in a debt limit context that you actually reduce spending. That's the idea to — as you raise the debt limit, deal with the underlying debt crisis that we have." — Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)
5. The lack of consideration for the country's "best interest"
"Looking at the information that we've gathered so far, I'm not necessarily in a position where I think that's in the best interest of our country going forward. It's just hard to justify that we're not figuring out how to clamp down on spending." — Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.)
Republicans will be meeting once again behind closed doors Tuesday morning. A vote on the bill is expected to happen as early as Wednesday.
If Congress does not pass a budget deal soon, the Treasury Department says that the government will default on its debt by Nov. 3. Funding for government spending is set to expire on Dec. 11.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
New York DA floats 4-year Trump sentencing freeze
Speed Read President-elect Donald Trump's sentencing is on hold, and his lawyers are pushing to dismiss the case while he's in office
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Wicked fails to defy gravity
Talking Point Film version of hit stage musical weighed down by 'sense of self-importance'
By Tess Foley-Cox Published
-
Today's political cartoons - November 20, 2024
Cartoons Wednesday's cartoons - mountaineering, an even match, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstances
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governor
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditions
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billion
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on record
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homes
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creature
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published