It’s a ritual in Washington: the political wrangling over the coming budget. There is now a renewed threat of a “shutdown”, a budget freeze. The negotiations are particularly complicated because a small group of Republicans want an internal power struggle.
In the Capitol earlier this week: Reporters ambush the Republican leader of the House of Representatives. A CNN journalist wants to know from Kevin McCarthy how much the fear of being deposed is now influencing his negotiating strategy. He waves it off: “My focus is only on the American people. And I’m not worried about anyone applying. Or vote no.”
By “motion,” McCarthy means a vote of no confidence. And there is a great danger that the Republican will not only be unable to prevent the budget freeze, but will also lose his job because of the internal party dispute. A small group of ultra-right MPs have been threatening this more or less blatantly for weeks.
Rebels want Government spending smear together
One of their spokesmen is Matt Gaetz from Florida. But this is not a vendetta against McCarthy, the Trump fan explained on Fox News. But: “I am waging a vendetta against a Washington system that puts corruption and the interests of lobbyists above the interests of Americans,” said Gaetz. “McCarthy enables this system. And I resent him for that.”
The rebels’ demand: debates and votes on every major individual budget, from labor to defense. And every department budget should be cut dramatically – because the US government is living dramatically beyond its means, according to Gaetz. Seven trillion US dollars in expenses with only five trillion in income: things cannot continue like this.
And if the only way to a more solid budget is through a budget freeze, “then that’s not ideal – but it’s still better than America’s financial ruin.”
Aid to Ukraine is also being discussed
For example, Gaetz and others want to cancel further aid for Ukraine: 24 billion US dollars are currently earmarked for this for the coming year.
For the Democrats – especially Joe Biden – Gaetz and the others are “extremists.” It was only a few months ago that he and McCarthy agreed on the basic principles of a budget – with savings of over a trillion US dollars over ten years, Biden said on Monday: “A group of extreme Republicans in the House now want to collapse this deal . And everyone in America would have to pay the price.”
Both parties fear political costs
It’s a primary election campaign in the USA – and fear of the political cost of a “shutdown” is great in both parties. For days, the president has been taking turns having members of his cabinet explain what a budget freeze means: not just for the almost four million civil servants and military personnel who would suddenly no longer receive a salary. But also, as Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack explained, for example for seven million mothers who are supplied by the government with milk powder for their newborns.
Because time is now so short, the shutdown can now only be averted through a bridge budget. However, both chambers of Congress still have to vote on this by the weekend. McCarthy could get the necessary votes in the House of Representatives from the Democrats. But the He would be sure to get revenge from his opponents within the party – and the previous top Republican might lose his job shortly afterwards.