The White House's Role in Fueling the Crisis in US Democracy

The White House is taking a hands-off approach as Speaker Kevin McCarthy struggles to pass a bill to fund the government, confident that the politics will play out in their favor. Biden's team is pressuring McCarthy to stick to the spending deal they struck in May, rather than attempting to patch together a new bipartisan bill. The White House is highlighting the potential consequences of the GOP plan, such as cutting Customs and Border Protection agents and Head Start positions. While the administration is not entirely hands-off, they believe getting involved now would risk further angering progressives and lend credibility to conservative lawmakers trying to extract deeper cuts. The president may have to step in at the last minute to smooth over a final agreement, but for now, the White House is letting McCarthy flail.