Amidst ongoing negotiations on the nation’s debt limit, unease is growing among House Democrats regarding the potential fallout of President Joe Biden’s proposed deal. There are growing fears that the proposed terms might adversely impact their standings in the forthcoming polls.
Punchbowl News has pointed to Democratic Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania, representing a potential swing-seat district, as an example of those expressing worries that Biden’s proposal might backfire electorally.
A Democratic aide, preferring to remain anonymous, voiced apprehension that party members might not necessarily rally behind any agreement reached between Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.
The chairwoman of the Progressive Caucus, Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal of Washington, insisted on the necessity for House Democrats to have an input in Biden’s agreement, suggesting they’re currently in the dark about the negotiation process, according to NBC.
Jayapal lauded Biden’s leadership over the last few years, acknowledging the positive outcomes brought about through a respectful partnership between the White House and the Democratic caucus, inclusive of the progressive base. However, she expressed concerns about the potential backlash, should the party feel coerced into a detrimental deal.
Echoing these concerns, Democratic Rep. Cori Bush of Missouri suggested that Biden’s capitulation on education programs would negatively impact his potential 2024 re-election bid.
A report in The Washington Post indicated a growing sentiment of exclusion among Democrats from the negotiation process and a desire for Biden to adopt a more assertive public stance. It seems that the lack of communication by the White House is causing frustration across the ideological spectrum in the House, particularly during a critical period when they should be preparing to defend their party’s president.
Moreover, it seems there is significant private resentment brewing among Democrats over the President’s reluctance to divulge the content of closed-door discussions. In contrast, McCarthy is capitalizing on the silence, seizing media coverage, and framing the debt-ceiling issue on Republican terms.
The Post quoted an unnamed Democratic lawmaker, who expressed voters’ frustrations over the Democrats’ perceived lack of economic acumen.
One anonymous House Democrat, speaking to Politico, commented, “It’s time to bring the president off the bench, or bring somebody off the bench…We have the Oval Office. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
Adding fuel to the fire, Biden’s recent weekend plans for a trip to Camp David and Delaware didn’t help in pacifying the brewing discontent. An unnamed House Democrat expressed disbelief to Politico about this decision, warning of a potential backlash from the caucus.
