Rep. Ocasio Cortez on the debt ceiling negotiations: Speaker McCarthy does not have the votes
Rep. Ocasio Cortez took to Twitter to explain why negotiations over the debt ceiling are stalling, blaming the lack of control McCarthy has over his caucus.
In just under two weeks, the United States federal government could default on its debts.
Both sides of the negotiation, from the White House to congressional GOP leaders, have stated that they are optimistic that an agreement can be reached before the deadline. If a deal is not made, the US and global economy could suffer greatly as a result.
Speaker McCarthy doesn’t have the votes
On Wednesday, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez took to Twitter to explain her own view of what has stalled the process.
“McCarthy has nowhere near the votes for a deal and therefore cannot negotiate debt ceiling,” argued AOC.
What the congresswoman is referring to is the fact that many who form part of the far-right Freedom Caucus, or called by some MAGA Republicans, do not believe that the debt ceiling should be increased at all. Speaker McCarthy needs 218 votes to pass a resolution to increase or suspend the debt limit, and AOC estimates that he has 150, meaning that he “will need anywhere from 50-100 House Dems to pass anything.”
Currently, Democrats hold 213 votes in the House and require only five Republicans to support passing a clean bill. These Republicans may realize that their seats could be at risk if the country defaults, and striking a bipartisan deal could bolster their chances of re-election in 2024.
A repeat of McCarthy’s confirmation as Speaker of the House?
One concern shared by Rep. Ocasio Cortez is that Speaker McCarthy “doesn’t know how many votes he has on what,” which, for the congresswoman, explains why the negotiations have been “rudderless.”
Speaker McCarthy strikes a more optimistic tone
In recent days, Speaker McCarthy has expressed a more positive outlook and anticipates an agreement will be reached this week. Yet, securing votes is another crucial aspect of his role as Speaker, in addition to striking a deal with the White House.
Few members of the Freedom Caucus have openly expressed their opposition to increasing the debt ceiling in recent weeks, giving hope that a mutually acceptable agreement can be reached and ratified. However, if that fails, Democrats may search for five Republican votes to prevent default, and it’s uncertain if those votes can be found within the larger GOP caucus.