The Debt Ceiling is a Distraction

I had planned to start my discussions this week with some poetic words about the changing of the seasons, a few words about global climate change, and the increasing effects we are seeing with the high numbers of Atlantic hurricanes this year and the devastation which is seen when they hit land, but the news has intruded on my thoughts. SO…

Rights were given and then taken away from Texas women within fewer than 24 hours this past week when one Federal District Court Judge ruled against the Texas law banning abortions after a Justice Department appeal and a follow-up appeal by the Texas Attorney General to the 5^th Circuit Court which subsequently reinstated it. So, once again, the right to an abortion, which is a constitutionally protected right was denied to women in Texas and, given the geography of our second largest state, many will have to travel hundreds of miles over several hours to obtain these legal services.

Did you get caught up in the debt ceiling back-and-forth discussions in the Senate? It was a bit like a tennis match–as the future of the US economy was lobbed up and over the net of partisan wrangling. This game was all a show managed by the sinister machinations of minority leader Mitch McConnell. It did not matter that the approval of the debt was to pay for debts incurred from the previous administration and increased by the absurd tax cut they passed. Although the Senate had made such approvals routinely in the past under his leadership as Majority Leader, he took to the floor to decry such expenditures. He had a major confrontation within his caucus, according to reports in The Hill from Senator Cruz and others; Senator Graham called this move a capitulation. However, as reported in the Texas Tribune, both Cruz and his fellow Texas Senator Cornyn have voted many times to raise the debt ceiling, along with their party, under both Democratic and Republican presidents. Finally, once he was called out for his irresponsible comments and consequences were spelled out by Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen–and Wall Street had a major down day, he must have realized he could take the blame, should calamity result, and agreed to negotiate a deal. So, eleven Republicans, mostly leadership, joined to prevent cloture but did not vote for the actual raising of the debt ceiling, so it passed with only Democratic votes. Following the vote, McConnell warned President Biden that he will not do this again. But don't go overboard with feelings of relief, the deal only goes until December when our country arrives back at this debt ceiling point once more.

Is this any way to run a country? According to an editorial in The New York Times today (Stop the Debt Ceiling Nonsense), Congress created the debt ceiling in 1917 to streamline federal borrowing, much like the ceiling on a personal credit card. It was not an effort to decrease spending because Congress has already voted to spend this money. The Times called for getting rid of the ceiling by replacing it with, as advised by Secretary Yellen, a simple law that allows legitimate spending and it castigates the Democrats for cowardice in not doing so. Since they have not removed the filibuster, and apparently cannot, as long as Senator Manchin opposes such a move, the only chance they have to change the debt ceiling would be by adding it to a reconciliation measure that could pass by a simple majority. However, reconciliation is allowed only once a year, so that would forestall other financial bills for 2022. The Democrats know their majority is tenuous and may not survive the 2022 mid-terms, so the only time they have to act is now.

The media played this like a tennis match, just as it did with the House's decision to vote on the bills for Infrastructure and the Build Back Better Bill. Will Pelosi win, is Biden down, Manchin up, moderates or progressives ahead; are we at match point yet? These are serious issues, not games. Distilling the discussions down to winners and losers distracts from an actual explanation of what benefits are genuine possibilities when these bills pass. The Democrats need to do a better job of explaining the policies and programs behind the ever-changing numbers, so real people can understand that there are major issues here that will improve lives if given the chance. The Child Tax Credit has already lifted thousands of children out of poverty; wouldn't it be great if we could continue it? That is in the bill, so let's do it!

What do you think about the filibuster? Shouldn't we allow majority rule? Why should it take 60 votes to pass any contested bill into law? The House votes on a simple majority vote, why should the Senate do differently? Although many do not understand the “filibuster rule", it is a custom, not something written into the Constitution, and was put in place to allow the minority to have a voice on measures many years ago. It wasn't in frequent use until the mid-1950's when it was used repeatedly, often by Southern Democrats, to deny votes on Civil Rights legislation. At one point 70 votes were needed and filibusters had to be held in person, with the Senator holding down the floor and speaking continuously for hours until a vote could override the effort. Did you ever see the movie classic "Mr. Smith Comes to Washington” starring Jimmy Stewart? In that movie, an idealistic freshman Senator tries to speak up for his beliefs and filibusters against corruption for many hours, finally collapsing in the effort. Now, no effort is required, just a notice that the opposition will invoke cloture is enough to deny a bill a presence or discussion on the floor of the Senate if the opposition does not have the votes to override it. We seldom hear the debates and discussions of former years in the so-called great deliberative body. Some say to be careful what you wish for as they say that cloture protects the minority, but now it seems to protect inaction as the Senate has passed few meaningful bills over the last several years, despite hundreds being passed in the House.

Hopefully, soon, the recalcitrant Democratic Senators (Sinema and Manchin) will see the light and allow the Democrats to pass the Build Back Better Plan and the Infrastructure bill together as originally planned before these prima donnas got in the way. Manchin has been speaking out that he does not want to create entitlements. The Progressive caucus speaks up for the needs of many, often women, in the middle and working classes who need child care and elder care relief so that they can work, and provide for their families. They speak of the need for Family Leave already found in many westernized countries after the birth of a child. This is not socialism, it is to benefit families. (Many mothers currently save their vacation days, if any, to take as maternity leave, then add on unpaid days, as desired, to stay with their newborns. I read recently that many Americans do not always take their full vacations for various reasons; however, 25% of American workers do not have any vacation benefits.) Many people do not realize that the Family and Medical Leave Act only allows for unpaid leave; the employer may require that any accrued leave be used before the unpaid days kick in.

The Progressives want the requested 3.5 Trillion-dollar package. Manchin wants 2 trillion less. Sinema is not talking, so they are still at a standoff. However, there are rumblings that maybe Manchin will come up a bit and the Progressives will come down a bit as suggested by President Bide; let's hope that happens. They projected the current finance package over ten years; perhaps if it were calculated out for fewer years, the benefits would remain and then need renewals earlier. It is not good for the Democrats to be fighting amongst themselves when what these two bills hold is so good for the country. It may not be as good for the top one percent, but I think it is time for them to give back to the country that has so generously allowed them to prosper. (I won't even mention the Pandora Papers discussed in the Washington Post this week, except to say that South Dakota is a major player in hiding possible taxable assets by the rich and famous.)

Maybe, once these bills pass, and I certainly expect that they will in some format, then the Democrats in the Senate can get onto passing the voting rights bills already passed in the House. Or, if not, maybe even the watered-down bill Senators Klobuchar and Machin have offered could be considered. Again, there is an effort to have this bill bypass the cloture/filibuster rule. I have few hopes for either option, although I remain optimistic. 

Without the passage of these two voting rights bills, there is little chance that we can see fair and free elections in many Republican-led states in 2022. I expect that the Justice Department will try to do something to restore rights where they are most egregiously restrained, but that may not get into voter nullification as proposed in Texas and Georgia by post-election denials of votes or subsequent "Stop the Steal" efforts.

Meanwhile, the former president tried to call for presidential privilege over members from his administration speaking to the Select Committee on the Insurrection, but it was determined the privilege is attached to the Office of the current President, not the former one.

The Bulwark (a conservative anti-MAGA group with many writers from the Weekly Standard) has an excellent discussion of this issue here. This article, written by Linda Chavez, discusses the original Voting Rights Act and its evolution over the years and she concludes lawmakers should look at those trying to overturn elections, saying: "The strength of democracy rests on the acceptance of election results, win or lose. Laws currently under consideration that would throw election results into question and allow state legislatures to reject them are a serious problem that undermines the future of our democracy."

So, last week I asked where are the voices on the right speaking up for our Democracy? I have found a few here, but obviously, more voices are needed. 

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Now to the latest news on the Covid front. They have released Pfizer booster shots to eligible recipients. Moderna has applied for booster status for its vaccine. Pfizer has submitted documentation to support a reduced dose for children 5-11 and it is under consideration by the relevant bodies. Montgomery County is now reporting 84% vaccinated, Howard 78%, and Frederick 72%. Alaska leads the states in incidence now; Minnesota is showing a recent rise in cases. Maryland has had an 8% decrease in cases and is showing 65% vaccinated overall. The US is seeing about 900,000 vaccinations a day now. With luck, Delta will be mostly gone before flu season hits. Have you gotten your flu shot yet?

COVID Stats - NYTimes

US Totals: Total Cases: 44,330,001. New Cases: 96,549. (back under 100,000!)

                   Total Deaths: 713,806. New Deaths: 2000.

Maryland Totals: Total Cases: 544,449. New Cases:1,138.

                               Total Deaths: 10,593. New Deaths: 16.

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On the good news/bad news scene–retirees may see up to a 6.1% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) increase in their Social Security checks if expected projections, due this week, pan out. Rising prices have hit those on fixed incomes hard. However, others have noted that Medicare fees may also rise and wipe out that COLA benefit. Please, someone–explain the rationale of the give and take here.

Meanwhile, the rich get richer, mostly, although Forbes has removed the former president from its list of the 400 richest Americans–he no longer qualifies.

"Til next week - Peace.