Guidance given Democrat House members on how to sell a new debt-ceiling bill coaches them to say the legislation rejects Republicans' "extreme demands."
First reported by Axios, the talking-points cheat sheet provides a peak into how the minority party could counter claims by Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., that the bill is a GOP win with no concessions for the other side of the aisle.
According to Axios, the pitch was sent to House Democrats' offices Monday morning by the Democratic Policy and Communications Committee.
An example of the pitch reads: "House Democrats are working responsibly to avoid a devastating default on our debt. Extreme MAGA Republicans are recklessly threatening a job-killing recession."
The guidance also suggests saying the new bill rejects "Republicans' extreme demands to cut critical lifelines for everyday Americans" and "extreme MAGA Republican proposals to cut domestic funding by 22%."
Another suggested tactic for Democrat lawmakers to take is to stress the bill doesn't touch Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, veterans' health care, and student debt relief.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., made the essential same case for the deal on Sunday.
"It protects the American people from the types of devastating spending cuts that were proposed by Republicans in their Default on America Act," he told CBS "Face the Nation."
It's not clear if House Republicans will fall for the pitch.
After an unnamed senior House Democrat told Axios they believe the "vast majority" of Republicans will support the bill because it contains "modest" concessions, Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., tweeted: "Notice how oddly calm Democrats are for a change? This is why …"
"Just one big happy uniparty family!!" Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, mockingly wrote. "Yay, debt!!"
Democrats will have to persuade enough of their members to vote for the bill to make up for lost votes on the GOP side, Axios pointed out.
And, according to the news outlet, the White House already is pushing a big whip operation to soft-sell Democrats on the bill.
Fran Beyer ✉
Fran Beyer is a writer with Newsmax and covers national politics.
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