Elizabeth Warren to Republicans: 'Are you kidding me on the debt ceiling?'
Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) did not hold back in her criticism of GOP reticence toward helping Democrats raise the nation's debt limit, arguing, as many have, that the left cooperated with their counterparts when the same issue arose during the Trump administration.
"I do believe it's time to call the Republicans out over this," Warren told MSNBC. "Are you kidding me on the debt ceiling? When Donald Trump was president and needed to raise the debt ceiling over and over, Democrats said 'yep, we get it.'" Warren also emphasized that a debt limit increase is a reflection of past spending — not future.
"The Republicans want to turn around and play political games with that? They want to threaten to blow up our entire economy and actually the world economy over that?" On Tuesday, a Moody's Analytics report predicted a default on the debt ceiling could throw the American economy into an immediate recession comparable to that of 2008, including the loss of 6 million jobs, among other heart-stopping statistics.
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.
"Where I am right now is to call out the Republicans who are saying that they are going to behave so irresponsibly as not to vote to increase the debt limit."
Although both parties agree the debt limit needs raising, Republicans would rather Democrats go it alone, so as to create a spending-sized stain on midterms. The left, however, would prefer the issue remain bipartisan, considering an increase is compensating for the debts of the past, and would be less "politically fraught" than including a provision in their $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
The best family board gamesThe Week Recommends Put down the smartphones and settle in for some old fashioned fun
-
Dive right into these 8 underwater adventuresThe Week Recommends It’s time to make a splash
-
The world’s oldest rock art reveals hints about human migrationUnder the Radar The art is believed to be over 67,000 years old
-
Is Alex Pretti shooting a turning point for Trump?Today’s Big Question Death of nurse at the hands of Ice officers could be ‘crucial’ moment for America
-
Halligan quits US attorney role amid court pressureSpeed Read Halligan’s position had already been considered vacant by at least one judge
-
House approves ACA credits in rebuke to GOP leadersSpeed Read Seventeen GOP lawmakers joined all Democrats in the vote
-
The billionaires’ wealth tax: a catastrophe for California?Talking Point Peter Thiel and Larry Page preparing to change state residency
-
Hegseth moves to demote Sen. Kelly over videospeed read Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’
-
Trump says US ‘in charge’ of Venezuela after Maduro grabSpeed Read The American president claims the US will ‘run’ Venezuela for an unspecified amount of time, contradicting a statement from Secretary of State Marco Rubio
-
Vance’s ‘next move will reveal whether the conservative movement can move past Trump’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
