Manchin says it's a 'mistake' for White House to want Democrats to address debt ceiling without GOP - CNN

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joe manchin FILE 092022

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Washington CNN  — 

Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia said Sunday that it’s a “mistake” for the White House to privation Democrats to deal with the indebtedness ceiling without negotiating with legislature Republicans.

“I deliberation it’s a mistake due to the fact that we person to negotiate. This is simply a ideology that we have. We person a two-party system, if you will, and we should beryllium capable to speech and find retired wherever our differences are. And if they are irreconcilable, past you person to determination connected from determination and fto radical marque their decisions,” Manchin, a cardinal Senate moderate, told CNN’s Dana Bash connected “State of the Union.”

“Using the indebtedness ceiling and holding it hostage hasn’t worked successful the past,” Manchin continued, adding that helium “respectfully” disagrees with his party’s No. 2 Democrat successful the chamber, Majority Whip Dick Durbin, connected not negotiating with Republicans.

“Every American has to unrecorded wrong a budget. If they don’t, they’re successful occupation financially. Every concern that’s palmy has to unrecorded wrong a budget. Every authorities has to unrecorded wrong a budget. Shouldn’t the national authorities person immoderate guardrails that, say, ‘Hey, guys … you’re overreaching present and you’re overspending?’ But past prime your priorities. That’s all,” helium added.

The US deed the indebtedness ceiling acceptable by Congress connected Thursday, forcing the Treasury Department to commencement taking “extraordinary measures” to support the authorities paying its bills and escalating unit connected Capitol Hill to debar a catastrophic default.

The conflict lines for the high-stakes combat person already been set. Hard-line Republicans, who person tremendous sway successful the House due to the fact that of the party’s slim majority, person demanded that lifting the borrowing cap beryllium tied to spending reductions. Manchin suggested Sunday helium was unfastened to spending cuts.

The White House, however, has countered that it volition not connection immoderate concessions oregon negociate connected raising the indebtedness ceiling. And with the solution to the indebtedness ceiling play squarely successful lawmakers’ hands, fears are increasing that the partisan brinksmanship could effect successful the federation defaulting connected its indebtedness for the archetypal clip ever – oregon travel dangerously adjacent to doing so.

GOP Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania said Sunday connected Fox News that the White House presumption against negotiating with House Republicans connected spending cuts, successful speech for raising the indebtedness ceiling, is “very irresponsible.” He said the archetypal measurement successful addressing the indebtedness ceiling concern is for Speaker Kevin McCarthy to beryllium down with Biden.

Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a New Jersey Democrat, said successful the aforesaid interrogation that helium believes the White House volition yet beryllium down with McCarthy, which helium called “a bully thing.”

Fitzpatrick and Gottheimer are the co-chairs of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus successful the House.

As to whether Social Security and Medicare should beryllium portion of these negotiations, Manchin shared his involvement successful wanting to make a committee that would marque the 2 programs “more financially unafraid and stable.” But helium said nary 1 who presently receives these benefits should person immoderate cuts.

“No cuts to anybody that’s receiving their benefits, nary adjustments to that. They’ve earned it. They paid into it. Take that disconnected the table,” Manchin said. “But everyone’s utilizing that arsenic a leverage.”

The legislator indicated helium was unfastened to raising the income headdress for Social Security taxes.

“I’m unfastened to fundamentally raising – the easiest and quickest happening we tin bash is rise the cap,” helium said.

Meanwhile, Manchin connected Sunday besides offered enactment for chap Senate mean Krysten Sinema, calling her a “formidable candidate” for reelection successful 2024.

Sinema announced past period she was leaving the Democratic Party and registering arsenic a governmental independent, fueling caller involvement from Arizona Democrats to situation her adjacent year.

“I would deliberation that she needs to beryllium supported again, yes, due to the fact that she brings that autarkic spirit,” Manchin said.

This communicative has been updated with further information.

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