House Republicans insist that any move to raise the debt ceiling, which was partially breached this week, must come alongside cuts in spending. In doing so, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., has embraced the far right's demand for fiscal brinksmanship that could potentially see the U.S. default on its debts.
All of this poses a political threat to McCarthy, who seems likely to be forced to either cave on his demands, accept a proposed off-ramp like the fiscal commission Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., has suggested, or be responsible for a global financial crisis. But before we even get to that point, McCarthy has a bigger problem: math. This is a preview of Hayes Brown's latest article. Read their full column here. |
