President Joe Biden on Wednesday called Republican-demanded spending cuts “devastating” as he laid out his arguments in a campaign-style address to voters as lawmakers gathered in Washington to raise the government’s debt limit to avoid a catastrophic US default.
The president is showing greater willingness to discuss possible budget limits, but insisted again that any talks must take place without the risk of the federal government being unable to pay its bills.
“America is the strongest economy in the world, but we must cut spending and lower the deficit without an unnecessary crisis,” Biden said Wednesday.
His words challenge House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who met with Biden at the White House on Tuesday and later declared that deep spending cuts were necessary for House Republicans to raise the debt limit. and avoid the risk of non-payment.
The events on Wednesday marked a preview of what the next 18 months will look like for Biden as he carries out his presidential duties and also tries to improve his political position before the 2024 elections. He went to a region represented in a first term by Republican Mike Lawler, whose district Biden won in 2020. However, the president was courteous to the congressman when he said Lawler is “the kind of Republican I was used to dealing with.”
Biden used the trip to show off recent economic progress, noting the 12.7 million jobs created during his term and a new focus on domestic manufacturing, while warning that an unprecedented debt default would put millions of jobs at risk and increase the probability of a recession.
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