Actor Ben McKenzie: Biden negotiating with GOP 'kidnappers' on spending
Actor Ben McKenzie slammed House Republicans as 'hostage takers' on the debt ceiling, while on CNN Friday morning.
Actor Ben McKenzie called for the U.S. to get rid of the debt ceiling while bashing Republicans as "hostage takers" holding up negotiations on the burgeoning national debt.
"The O.C." and "Southland" television actor appeared on CNN as an economic commentator on Friday morning. He recently wrote a book warning about cryptocurrency with journalist Jacob Silverman entitled, "Easy Money: Cryptocurrency, Casino Capitalism, and the Golden Age of Fraud."
Two weeks ago, the federal government reached the $31.381 trillion debt ceiling. While Republicans have argued "significant budget reform" and spending cuts are needed, dozens of House Democrats have pushed for eliminating the debt ceiling altogether.
That's the position McKenzie advocated for, arguing we were one of two countries in the world who had the federal spending cap.
Actor Ben McKenzie compared Republicans to hostage takers for not wanting to eliminate debt ceiling
DEMOCRATS PUSH TO ELIMINATE THE DEBT CEILING, ALLOW UNLIMITED GOVERNMENT BORROWING
"This is somewhat of a silly exercise and of our own making. I mean, we created the debt ceiling," the actor said, adding that Denmark was the only other country to have this "bizarre" tool.
"So we could just get rid of this whole thing. This whole thing. Which I think would be prudent," he urged.
He claimed the GOP didn't actually have a plan on how to solve the crisis and were holding up negotiations like "hostage takers."
"Right now, Republicans are using it for leverage with the Biden White House trying to exact concessions of undetermined nature, not even sure what the Republicans want," he complained.
Reps. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., and Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas, are among the Democrats supporting legislation to eliminate the debt ceiling. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)(Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
HOUSE REPUBLICANS ARE RIGHT: NO DEBT LIMIT INCREASE UNTIL A BALANCED BUDGET PLAN IS IN PLACE
"It’s like negotiating with a, you know, a kidnapper or a hostage taker and they don’t even have demands. You’re not sure what you’re supposed to give them. I thought Biden’s move was prudent to just say ‘Okay, what do you want?’ So which apparently the answer is – ‘Um, let me get back to you,’" he claimed.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy,R-Calif., met with President Biden this week for an hour-long talk negotiating solutions to the national debt. The President previously promised to "veto everything [Republicans] send" to his desk in terms of spending cuts.
Fox News' Pete Kasperowicz contributed to this report.
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