Congress has every right to use the debt ceiling to force real spending cuts. That's checks and balances, not hostage-taking.
Many argue the debt ceiling is just meant to pay bills Congress already approved. From that perspective, risking an economic default isn't a normal check and balance, it's reckless.
Debt ceiling brinkmanship isn't checks and balances; it's hostage-taking that wrecks trust and hurts people. If we want real reform, fix the budget process, not weaponize default risk.
Leverage is the theatre of governance. Branding it hostage-taking turns a necessary tool into melodrama.
