If you asked Joe Biden in 2011 about his view on negotiating a debt limit increase, he would’ve told you it’s “normal” to negotiate. He may have even bragged about voting against raising the debt limit nine times.
What’s Biden’s view today? “No negotiation.” This is quite the change — even for a serial flip-flopper like Biden.
Biden has a long history of engaging in and supporting negotiations over the debt limit and even opposing clean debt ceiling increases:
- 1973-1990: Biden voted against raising the debt limit seven times.
- 1995: Biden supported a balanced-budget amendment — which would have increased the threshold to raise the debt limit.
- 2003: Biden voted against increasing the debt limit.
- Biden defended his vote as a “protest of the policies that have brought us to this point.”
- 2006: Biden voted against increasing the debt limit.
- Biden again defended his vote by saying “it is a statement that I refuse to be associated with the policies that brought us to this point.”
- 2009: Biden led debt limit negotiations with House Blue Dog Democrats.
- 2011: Biden led debt limit negotiations with House Republicans.
- May: Biden expressed how “pleased and thankful” he was to begin talks.
- August: Biden called negotiations a “normal” process.
- August: Biden acknowledged you “have to have compromise” and criticized those with a “my way or the highway” approach.
- 2012: Biden said securing a deal with Republicans was a “great honor.”
- 2021: Biden hoped for “intelligent and honest conversation” with Republicans on a debt limit increase.
