Published: 12/14/2022 9:05:01 PM
No, you can’t go home for Christmas during an emergency. The GOP has lit the fuse on a time bomb, and Democrats must defuse it before they head home for Christmas. They must raise the debt ceiling, even if they need to stay in session to do it. Allowing the U.S. to default on its debts will cause national and international financial chaos. The GOP has already put the country on notice that it will use the debt ceiling to cut Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, just to begin. It would most certainly cut spending to forestall environmental calamity, as well as funding for public education, health, housing, and scientific research. Their willingness to trigger massive tumult in global and domestic markets is not lost on international allies, nor on Wall Street itself. That political entities as disparate as progressive Elizabeth Warren and Chase CEO Jamie Dimon both support the elimination of the debt ceiling says a lot about the dangers confronting our economy in 2023 if House Republicans have their way.
According to analyst Gregg Sargent, Democrats must “transfer control over raising the debt limit to the Treasury Secretary, while giving Congress only the authority to reverse a hike by the Treasury. Since that would have a budgetary component, the Senate parliamentarian should allow it under reconciliation.” The consequences for not raising the debt ceiling before Republicans can use it to ransom our futures are almost too frightening to contemplate. Moreover, demagogues like Donald Trump thrive on the national distress caused by austerity and financial insecurity. We trust our public servants not to say “Sorry, vacation time!” during a disaster. We must be able to rely on Congress during emergencies, and this is an emergency. Don’t let them off the hook. Call and demand that they stay in session until the debt ceiling is raised.
Pelle Lowe
Northampton
