Newt Gingrich: President Biden and Speaker McCarthy After Round One

Conservative News DailyFebruary 4, 2023

House Republicans have had a productive and exciting first month. They are keeping their promises and moving forward.

This month was a crucial one for the House Republican Majority and Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

They have so far successfully implemented their Commitment To America. The 87,000 IRS agents were defeated. A strong bipartisan vote established the new Select Committee on China. A bipartisan majority stopped the Chinese Communists getting oil from our nation’s strategic petroleum reserve. Republicans removed Congressmen Adam Schiff, Eric Swalwell and Ilhan Omar from Intelligence Committee. Major investigations have been initiated. An effort is being made to create a strategy for restoring a balanced budget.

In the short term, Speaker McCarthy’s biggest challenge is establishing a responsible debt limit. Seventy-three percent of the American people believe it is reasonable to have spending cuts along with a debt ceiling increase – and only a small minority (26 percent) favor a debt ceiling with no spending changes. President Joe Biden’s initial position that he would refuse to negotiate any conditions began to fall apart almost as soon as the White House announced it.

Democratic Senator Joe Manchin visited Speaker McCarthy immediately to discuss potential spending cuts. Many House Democrats indicated that they would support spending cuts.

Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate Majority Leader, made a series of blustering speeches slamming House Republicans for failing to have a complete budget plan. His own track record of unchecked, endless spending made his attacks hollow and partisan.

The conversation went on and Speaker McCarthy was still a serious leader who sought the national interest and was open to negotiating early to avoid any last-minute dramas or crises. The White House’s rhetoric was more out of touch than reality.

When Senator Republican Leader Mitch McConnell publicly stated that Speaker McCarthy was leading discussions on the debt ceiling, it was a great help. With McConnell’s endorsement, McCarthy went to the White House with a united House GOP – and the imprimatur of the longest serving leader in Senate history. McConnell’s counsel and vast knowledge of prior debt ceiling negotiations will help – especially since he and then-Vice President Biden have solved them in the past.

Faced with a combined GOP House-Senate team of senators, President Biden agreed for a one-on-1 meeting with Speaker McCarthy. Although the White House stated that it would not compromise on a no-strings debt limit increase, the fact that the Speaker met with Biden indicated that negotiations were in the offing.

The actual meeting lasted well over an hour – to almost everyone’s surprise. They seemed to get along well. Each leader set out positions that they were unsure the other would accept. Then came the dance of legislation.

The meeting was over when McCarthy arrived and engaged with the White House press corps in an engaging conversation. He spoke positively about President Biden, and he carefully stated that they had a common understanding. They must move forward, but it will take time.

Punchbowl News This captures the essence of the current situation:

“Now, after meeting with Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the White House says the president ‘welcomes a separate discussion with congressional leaders about how to reduce the deficit and control the national debt while continuing to grow the economy.’

“The White House wants to rhetorically separate any discussion about the debt limit from the federal spending debate, but that’s a distinction without a difference. It’s clear that the two issues are linked. Biden is going to have to negotiate with Republicans – and already is.

“At the moment, Biden is showering McCarthy with praise. During a fundraiser in New York, the president called McCarthy a ‘decent man.’ In a speech at the National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Biden said both sides need to’“start treating each other with respect. That’s what Kevin and I are going to do.’”

The truth is that the President and key House or Senate Democrats have devised a formula that may backfire. They say that they will cut spending and increase the economy, but not on a bill to fix the debt ceiling.

The House Republicans have the potential to use the next four-months to pass a bill to cut spending and increase economic growth. After the President signs the bill with lower spending, more job opportunities, and a smaller deficit, Republicans can pass a bill to fix the debt ceiling. This is in good conscience, as they have not broken their promise to the American people to move back to fiscal stability and a balanced budget.

House Republicans have had a productive and exciting first month. They are sticking to their promises and making progress.