Biden And Democrats’ Debt Limit Hypocrisy

Research

Biden And Democrats Have A Long History Of Negotiating The Debt Limit – Today, Democrats Say There Can Be No Negotiation At All

BIDEN’S DEBT LIMIT HYPOCRISY

With the debt ceiling crisis looming, the Biden administration is refusing to work with Republicans, saying there will be “no negotiation over it.”
While Biden now says he won’t negotiate with Republicans, the Obama-Biden administration did just that in 2011, with Biden taking a lead role in these negotiations.
- In 2010, Biden said that “it’s in everyone’s interest politically to cooperate” on raising the debt limit.”
- In May 2011, Biden said he was “really pleased and thankful” to negotiate on the debt limit with Republicans.
- In August 2011, Biden called the debt limit a “normal political battle” where both sides make “certain compromises.”
- In August 2011, Biden said that you “have to compromise” on the debt limit, and that it can’t be “my way or the highway.”
- In October 2011, Biden bragged about “personally negotiating” the debt limit with Republicans.
- In May 2012, Biden said he “had the great honor” of “negotiating the debt limit” with a Republican House.
Then-President Obama in 2011 accepted he was “going to have some very tough negotiations” on the debt limit — saying it would be a “legitimate debate.”
- Obama also said that “everyone is going to have to be willing to compromise” and that “we need to put aside our differences to do what’s right.”
- Obama proclaimed “myself, Joe Biden, my team, we are prepared to meet [with Republicans] for as long as possible to get this resolved.”

BIDEN HAS A HISTORY OF OPPOSING CLEAN DEBT CEILING INCREASES

Biden voted against raising the debt limit at least nine times.
- In March 2006, Biden defended his vote against the debt limit increase, saying “it is a statement that I refuse to be associated with the policies that brought us to this point.”
- In November 2004, Biden said that had he been around to vote, he would have voted against an extension of the debt limit as a “protest of the policies that have brought us to this point.”

THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IS FULL OF DEBT LIMIT HYPOCRITES

Up until a little over a year ago, Biden was willing to work with Republicans on the debt limit.
- In October 2021, Biden said he hoped to have “intelligent and honest conversation” with Republicans on the debt limit.
Even Biden’s own advisors have taken the opposite position of where the administration now stands.
- Biden’s Climate Czar John Kerry in 2011 said that “we’ve got to reach across the aisle and negotiate” on the debt limit.
- Biden’s HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge in 2013 called for Congress to “work together” on the debt limit and “put partisan bickering behind us.”
- Biden’s Chief of Staff Ron Klain in 2017 wrote an op-ed praising Pelosi and Schumer’s rejection of a “clean” debt limit measure.

DEMOCRATS HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF SUPPORTING NEGOTIATIONS OVER THE DEBT LIMIT

Biden and Democrats’ recent refusal to engage in any negotiations around the debt limit go against their own previous comments.
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in 2011 said that Democrats were “determined to work together” with Republicans to secure a compromise on raising the debt limit.
- Pelosi called debt limit negotiations at the time a “good faith initiative.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) in 2011 attacked those unwilling to “compromise and reach a practical solution” on the debt limit.
- Feinstein went on to call for bipartisan negotiations, saying “I very strongly believe there is a solution and that reasonable people can work it out.”
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) in 2011 said that the debt limit “isn’t a time to draw bright lines” and called for “compromise.”
Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) in 2011 bragged how “time and again Democrats have shown that we are willing to compromise” on the debt limit.
- Blumenthal also proclaimed that “the word of the day must be ‘cooperation’ and ‘compromise’” on increasing the debt limit.
Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) in 2011 called for Democrats to “reach across the party lines to reach common sense solutions” on the debt limit.
- In 2011, Carper said that it “can’t be [an] all Democrat” plan to raise the debt limit, “we’re in this together.”
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) in 2011 said “we need to come together” on a debt limit increase and that “our leadership need to be willing to make responsible compromises."
Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) in 2011 said that members of Congress need to “be willing to give a little” and that “compromise is the nature of this political process.”
- In 2011, Durbin urged his colleagues not to have “an all-or-nothing approach" on raising debt limit and called for “compromise.”
- In 2011, Durbin said both sides need to “work together and compromise” to raise the debt limit.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD) in 2011 called for a “compromise” on the debt limit and to “sit down and work this out.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in 2011 said that “it’s important for us to come together” and make some “tough compromises” on the debt limit.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) in 2011 said “we’ve got to do it together. It is about working together. It is about creating a bipartisan plan. It’s time to get that done.”
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in 2011 decried those who choose to “draw lines in the sand” on debt limit negotiations.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in 2011 said that “finding a compromise on the debt limit is critical.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) in 2011 went after those with “partisan blinders” who “cling to their ideological positions” on the debt limit.
- In 2011, Schumer condemned those who said a debt limit deal “has to be our way, all the way” — demanding “compromise over narrow, ideological, often fear-driven politics.”
- In 2017, Schumer called for a debt limit increase without “one party jamming its choices down the throats of the other.”
- In 2017, Schumer insisted that “both parties” should be “involved in crafting” a debt limit increase.
Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in 2011 said that “compromise is important” when raising the debt limit.