Just wanted to bring attention to a recent interview with Kevin McCarthy, who has been notoriously vague about what policies Republicans might pursue if they win control of the House. He disclosed today that Republicans would not support the same level of aid to the Ukraine:
“I think people are gonna be sitting in a recession and they’re not going to write a blank check to Ukraine,” McCarthy said in an interview with Punchbowl News published Tuesday. “They just won’t do it.”
McCarthy Warns GOP May Cut Back Ukraine Aid If Party Wins House
McCarthy cited immigration as another priority, and made clear that he might use a potential default by the US government as leverage:
McCarthy in the interview said part of the reason for dialing back aid is that the Biden administration is ignoring domestic issues that the GOP sees as a priority, such as securing the US southern border.
“People begin to weigh that,” the California Republican said. “Ukraine is important, but at the same time it can’t be the only thing they do and it can’t be a blank check.”….
McCarthy also told Punchbowl News that he plans to leverage the need to raise the nation’s debt ceiling to rein in government spending. In recent weeks other top Republicans have said they plan to seek curbs to entitlement programs as a price for the debt ceiling increase, reprising a strategy successfully employed against President Barack Obama in 2011 by House Republicans.
This story dovetails nicely with an opinion piece by Catherine Rampel in today’s Post:
Republicans’ secret economic agenda? A global financial crisis.
At least McCarthy answered a question. She points out how McConnell handled similar questions:
The GOP has not said how it would tackle inflation or other major economic challenges, including a recession. This is the party, after all, that had no platform in 2020; and when Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) was asked in January what Republicans would do if they regained the majority, he dodged: “That is a very good question,” he said, “and I’ll let you know when we take it back.”