Top Democrat compares GOP voting not to fund the government or raise the debt ceiling to running out of a restaurant without paying

September 28, 2021

Top Democrat compares GOP voting not to fund the government or raise the debt ceiling to running out of a restaurant without paying

Sen. Dick Durbin accused the GOP of refusing to pay its bills by blocking a debt-ceiling suspension.
Democrats say Republicans should support the measure as it partly pays for Trump-era policies.
Critics say the GOP is risking damage to the US economy by obstructing so close to the deadline.
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Sen. Dick Durbin, a senior Democrat, criticized Republican for blocking a bill to increase the US debt ceiling and fund the federal government.

Durbin, the Senate's Majority Whip, compared the vote to a "dine and dash," noting that much of the debt which pushed the US past its agreed spending limits was accrued under the Trump Administration.

-Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) September 28, 2021

"Right now, our number one priority should be keeping the nation's economy on the path to recovery.

"Instead, Republicans are playing reckless political games with the economy and the full faith and credit of the United States by refusing to pay the bill that Donald Trump helped rack up," said Durbin.

"This is a disastrous dine-and-dash by Congressional Republicans that America cannot afford."

The statement came after Senate Republicans on Monday voted against the bill to raise the debt ceiling. Failing to do so would cause the US to default on its debts for the first time, which experts say would cause economic turmoil.

The bill also contained separate measures to extend government funding and avoid a shutdown. The deadline to avert a shutdown is midnight on Thursday.

The point at which the US would default it the debt ceiling is not suspending is less clear, but predicted to come some time in mid-to-late October.

Democrats have pointed out that the debt ceiling is usually raised on a bipartisan basis, and that the current bill is necessary to pay for policies that were passed during the Trump administration.

Republicans in response accused Democrats of seeking to fund large federal spending increases if the debt ceiling bill is passed. They want the Democrats to raise the debt ceiling alone.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said if Democrats "want to tax, borrow and spend historic sums of money without our input, they'll have to raise the debt limit without our help."

Read the original article on Business Insider