Alarm bells are going off in Washington D.C. that a government shutdown appears to be unavoidable as Republicans in Congress are unable to quit squabbling among themselves.
And House Speaker Kevin McCarthy is unable to unite his slim majority to pass even a one-month delay for the shutdown.
Without a budget passed by both houses in Congress and then signed by the president before the end of September, the government will run out of money. The military and other essential services will continue to function, but the longer the shutdown, the bigger the problem becomes — and there could be interruptions in government checks and payouts. There could also be a penalty on the federal government’s cost for borrowing.
The dysfunction with McCarthy and his own party in the House is clear, even as they move forward with an impeachment inquiry for President Joe Biden. The GOP lawmakers allege that Biden profited when he was vice president from his son’s business dealings. There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by President Biden.
These political stunts and stumbles do have an impact on the lives of everyday Americans who would rather not have to hear about government shutdowns.
Guest:
Joan Walsh is the National Affairs Correspondent for The Nation.
Her new article is “Kevin McCarthy Isn’t Up to This Battle. But Neither Is Anyone Else.”
She is author of the forthcoming book Corporate Bullsh*t: Exposing the Lies and Half-Truths That Protect Profit, Power and Wealth In America? It will be released on October 31st.
"The Source" is a live call-in program airing Mondays through Thursdays from 12-1 p.m. Leave a message before the program at (210) 615-8982. During the live show, call 833-877-8255 or email thesource@tpr.org.
This interview will be recorded on September 20, 2023.
