host: molly reynolds? guest: the caller is eluding to and describing these politics around raising the debt limit and the degree to which the real goal on the part of leader mcconnell and the republicans who were helping develop the strategy was to find a way to ensure the debt limit did get raised because they were not interested in having -- incurring the wide sweeping negative consequences that would calm if there was a default on the debt. but trying to find a way to make democrats, as the color indicated, appeared to be responsible for taking the vote to raise the debt limit. i will remind folks that the debt limit and raising it is about spending that has already happened in the past. so the debt the federal government's servicing is the result of policy choices made by previous democratic and republican congresses and presidents. it is about sort of paying the bills we have already incurred. in this moment, republicans are looking to find a way to i think ensure the debt limit got addressed. there w

host: molly reynolds? guest: the caller is eluding to and describing these politics around raising the debt limit and the degree to which the real goal on the part of leader mcconnell and the republicans who were helping develop the strategy was to find a way to ensure the debt limit did get raised because they were not interested in having -- incurring the wide sweeping negative consequences that would calm if there was a default on the debt. but trying to find a way to make democrats, as the color indicated, appeared to be responsible for taking the vote to raise the debt limit. i will remind folks that the debt limit and raising it is about spending that has already happened in the past. so the debt the federal government's servicing is the result of policy choices made by previous democratic and republican congresses and presidents. it is about sort of paying the bills we have already incurred. in this moment, republicans are looking to find a way to i think ensure the debt limit got addressed. there w

. >> joining us is molly reynolds, senior fellow of governance studies at brookings institution here in washington. here to talk about congress and the biden presidency. molly reynolds, let's start with capitol hill behind us, and this from gallup people he took in october this year showing congress'' approval rating at is lowest in 2021 at 21%. what do you make of that number? >> guest: first i

molly reynolds, let's start with capitol hill behind us and this from gallup, apel they took in october of this year showing congress approve --