The Republican Party continues on the path of non-negotiation. 

At this point, it appears that the GOP isn’t even pretending to look like they’re willing to work through what is traditionally the democratic process of a two-party system of conciliation. 

Instead, daily reports show almost tantrum-like, unapologetic demands—even in the eleventh hour of the U.S. debt national and international crisis. 

The GOP insists on a one way ticket—theirs—and appear to be ok with holding the U.S. hostage through irresponsible and hasty cuts to vital programs that will limit spending on departments including Social Security, Medicare, cancer research, rental assistance, low-income school assistance, servicemember pay and more.  

Their demands also include repealing tax breaks for renewables and clean energy 

“Failure to meet the government’s obligation would cause irreparable harm to the US economy, the livelihoods of all Americans and global financial stability,” the US treasury secretary, Janet Yellen, said in a letter to Congress in January. Investors would lose faith in the US dollar, causing the economy to weaken quickly. Job cuts would be imminent, and the US federal government would not have the means to continue all its services. 

Reportedly mortgage rates would probably soar – tanking the housing market across the nation— including Arizona. 

Democrats say that the GOP’s unyielding plan could short-fund benefits meant for veterans including those sickened by exposure to toxic chemicals. 

“The illusory increases Republicans claim here in fact breaks a bipartisan promise to protect those exposed to burn pits by severely underfunding the Toxic Exposures Fund,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., the ranking member of the VA appropriations subcommittee, said in a statement that the GOP “promises” regarding veterans is not transparent.

“It also deceptively hides the fact that much steeper cuts are in store for the housing, food and job assistance programs our veterans need.” 

Democratic Representative, Ruben Gallego (AZ-O3) issued a statement in late April with regard to what the GOP ceiling debt demands would mean for Arizonans.

 “Extremists in Congress are trying to gut every single program that Arizona families rely on – healthcare, support for veterans, early childhood education, affordable housing, crime prevention, securing the border, the list goes on. All the while, they bend over backwards to preserve giveaways to Wall Street, like hedge fund managers and Big Pharma execs. America needs to pay its bills, which is why we need a clean debt ceiling vote, but these cruel political games threaten the health of our—and the global—economy. I can’t in good conscience support this legislation, and it is my hope that my colleagues on the other side of the aisle get serious about raising the debt limit without hurting the American people.”