President Joe Biden and Congressional Democrats have so far refused to negotiate at all with Republicans on terms for raising the debt ceiling, and Rep. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) said on Fox Business it’s because they hope they “get whatever they want.”
Fox Business correspondent Cheryl Casone, filling in for regular host Maria Bartiromo while she is in Davos, asked Garbarino first about comments from chairman of the Republican Study Committee Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma publishing a letter on Thursday blaming the media, in part, for “hiding” the truth about the debt debate by using “irrational shock and horror.”
“You know, some of your colleagues in the House say they they oppose raising the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to cut federal spending,” said Casone. She said Hern is “even going so far as to call out the national press corps for putting out this hysterical headline that the nation’s in crisis, it’s a big emergency. He says it is not. And we’ve got to start to have a conversation about fiscal responsibility.”
Garbarino said that Hern is “somewhat right” in that assessment, then added that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has been, “with the help of the press corps,” making the debt ceiling an issue before it is one, and called the Democratic position a “charade.” He also said it’s time for them to come to the table with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“Republicans aren’t against lifting the debt ceiling,” he said. “Republicans don’t want us, the country, to default on the debt. But they are not just going to write a blank check.”
“The Democrats over the last two years have spent trillions more than we have received, and we’re just not gonna allow them to continue to do it,” Gabarino elaborated. “So they need to, you know, stop with this charade and start negotiating with Kevin McCarthy about doing a smart debt limit increase while also cutting certain spending.”
Casone circled back to the media angle, saying, “You know, it’s interesting, too, because even in the financial press, you see this will the markets are going to be in such turmoil, the markets are going to be, you know, thrown off the rails, I’m not so sure.”
She then handed over to frequent Fox Business commentator Michael Lee, who said the “math doesn’t add up” on the doomsday prognostications from the Democrats and the press.
“This notion that we would somehow default on our debt or stop paying Social Security or Medicare, the math doesn’t really add up, does it?” said Lee. “Why do you think the Democrats are so resistant to even negotiating a little bit?”
“Because they’re hoping they can get whatever they want,” answered Garbarino, and that Democrats think “making us look like obstructionists is going to help them get whatever they want.”
Essentially, the Fox Business commentators and both Republican congressmen agreed that the media and Democrats are inflating fears and exaggerating the situation so the Biden administration can continue to spend on the progressive agenda without any limits or accountability.
CASONE: Congressman, good morning. You know, some of your colleagues in the House say they they oppose raising the debt ceiling unless Democrats agree to cut federal spending. In particular. Andrew excuse me. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, he’s one of your colleagues. He’s even going so far as to call out the national press corps for putting out this hysterical headline that the nation’s in crisis, it’s a big emergency. He says it is not. And we’ve got to start to have a conversation about fiscal responsibility.
GARBARINO: Well, yeah, I think Kevin is is somewhat right. I think, you know, Secretary Yellen and with the help of the press corps, they are turning this into a, you know, a problem before it is. We understand that the debt ceiling is going to be hit. But now all of a sudden, two weeks into a Republican majority in the House now, now we’re hitting the limit. Republicans are in against lifting the debt ceiling. Republicans don’t want us, the country, to default on the debt, but they are not just going to write a blank check. The Democrats over the last two years have spent trillions more than we have received, and we’re just not gonna allow them to continue to do it. So they need to, you know, stop with this charade and start negotiating with Kevin McCarthy about doing a smart debt limit increase while also cutting certain spending.
CASONE: You know, it’s interesting, too, because even in the financial press, you see this will the markets are going to be in such turmoil, the markets are going to be, you know, thrown off the rails, I’m not so sure. But to bring in Mike Lee, he’s on set with me and he’s got a question for you as we go ahead.
LEE: This notion that we would somehow default on our debt or stop paying Social Security or Medicare, the math doesn’t really add up, does it? Because trillions of dollars are going to come in. But the problem is, is for every dollar that comes in, they want to spend a dollar ten or a dollar twenty. And so it’s just a simple matter of prioritization until this can be resolved. Why do you think the Democrats are so resistant to even negotiating a little bit? And their starting point is that we will not negotiate on the debt ceiling at all.
GARBARINO: Because they’re hoping they can get whatever they want. They’re hoping by painting us like, looking like, making us look like obstructionists is going to help them get whatever they want. But, you know, after our historic speaker vote, I believe we have a very unified Republican conference. Like I said, our our conference position is no blank check. So the Democrats are going have to realize that we’re very serious about this and that they need to start negotiating sooner rather than later if they actually expect to get this done on time.
Watch the clip above, via Fox Business.
The post House Republican Tells Fox Democrats and ‘Press Corps’ Stoking Debt Ceiling Fear So They ‘Can Get Whatever They Want’ first appeared on Mediaite.