MEMO: MAGA Republicans’ Wrong Priorities Double Down on Political Stunts over American People

TO:         Interested Parties

FROM:    Tony Carrk, Accountable.US Executive Director

DATE:     February 6, 2023

RE:         MAGA Republicans’ Wrong Priorities Double Down on Political Stunts over American People

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President Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday provides him a great opportunity to talk to Americans about his record, including record-breaking 12 million jobs created, the lowest unemployment in half a century, lowering costs for seniors with the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, and putting the middle class over special interests by cracking down on junk fees. He will be speaking about the issues most important to the American people. 

Sadly, he finds an unwilling partner in the MAGA-controlled House Republicans who are disconnected from the American people’s concerns. It is an agenda that focuses on political stunts to damage President Biden, that risks a major economic crisis so they can drastically cut Social Security and Medicare, and raises costs. In short, their agenda puts power for themselves and their special interest allies over the well-being of everyone else.

Risking Economic Crisis to Cut Social Security and Medicare 

Right now, Congress must take action to prevent the United States from defaulting on its debt. Doing so would cause severe consequences for our economy. By some estimates, it would cause 6 million people to lose their jobs, the unemployment rate would increase to 7 percent, and $12 trillion in household wealth would disappear. 

These consequences are too severe to contemplate. Where most Americans see an unacceptable result, MAGA Republicans see an opportunity to push their unpopular agenda to gut Social Security and Medicare, lifelines for millions of people. They are holding the economy hostage unless their extreme demands are met.

Putting Special Interest Allies over Middle-Class Americans 

One common theme to the MAGA-controlled House agenda is putting special interests over middle-class Americans. Several House Republicans have sponsored a bill to repeal the Inflation Reduction Act. While this would certainly benefit big Pharma, it would hurt seniors by raising their prescription drug costs.  

MAGA House Republicans also stand with big banks and the finance industry by opposing the Biden administration’s crackdown on junk fees —those abusive, often-hidden fees and penalties disproportionately impact low-income Americans. Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced a rule that would cut credit card late fees by $9 billion. The House Financial Services Committee chair, Patrick McHenry (R-NC), sided with the big banks and slammed the proposal.

Political Stunts for Power 

Another common theme in the MAGA-controlled House agenda is pursuing partisan political stunts for more power. They think damaging President Biden is good for them, even if it doesn’t deliver for the American people. 

The hypocrisy here is striking. In the name of oversight, the House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing to attack President Biden’s family, despite turning a blind eye to ample examples of corruption under the Trump administration. In the name of fiscal responsibility, the MAGA House wants to hold the economy hostage to force their extreme agenda, despite the fact they took action to avoid defaulting on our debt three times without such demands under the Trump administration. 

What is abundantly clear is the MAGA House Republican agenda is unpopular and disconnected from the needs of the American people. House Republicans must prioritize the issues that matter: lowering costs, tackling inflation, and creating jobs. 

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