WATCH: Stephen Colbert Steps into Willy Wonka’s Shoes to Explain Congress and the ‘Enchanted Land of Reconciliation’

Stephen Colbert put on his best Willy Wonka impersonation to explain budget reconciliation and the inner workings of Congress.

“I hope everyone in America is using protection, because it is very possible that we are all screwed,” Colbert told his viewers on Wednesday’s Late Show. “We may be approximately 24 hours from the United States government shutting down, and that’s not even the bad news.”

Colbert explained that the U.S. government is approaching the debt ceiling, and if Congress is unable to raise it in the upcoming days, it could cause the nation to default on its debts for the first time in history.

“It would be what one economist called ‘financial Armageddon,’” he continued. “That’s bad news and even worse timing, because America’s already scheduled a plague Armageddon, a climate Armageddon, and a democracy Armageddon. Can we pencil that in for next Wednesday? Maybe a lunch-mageddon?”

The host went on to question how the U.S. has gotten so close to a budget default when Democrats, who largely support raising the debt ceiling, are in control.

“Look no further than the comedy stylings of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY),” Colbert said, prompting the audience to boo. “On Monday, McConnell led a Republican filibuster that blocked government funding and raising the debt ceiling. So, this is a totally avoidable crisis.”

Colbert then compared the situation to knowing there was a life-saving medicine during pandemic and not taking it, adding, “Oh oh, wait, wait, wait. Maybe we should inject the budget with horse paste?”

“It’s all part of McConnell’s plan to derail [Joe] Biden’s $3.5 trillion Build Back Better plan, which can only pass through a budget process called reconciliation that shields fiscal measures from a filibuster,” Colbert continued. “Yes, for one magical vote a year, senators leave the mortal world behind and enter an enchanted land of reconciliation.”

The host then put on a purple top hat, picked up cane, and sang a parody of “Pure Imagination” from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to explain he budget reconciliation process.

“Come with me, and you’ll be / In a world of reconciliation / It’s our sole remedy / Except for pure intoxication,” sang Colbert, later adding, “Reconciliation is a phantasmagorical place of legislative wonder, where anything can happen. Who knows — maybe even something!”

The host went on to mock Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) for opposing the $3.5 trillion bill without detailing their demands.

Colbert explained that even if Democrats were willing to use reconciliation, they would have to essentially pass four bill simultaneously: One to raise the debt ceiling, one to fund the government, the Build Back Better bill, and the infrastructure bill.

“In order to pass the bill through reconciliation, all 50 senate Democrats have to be on board, but Manchin and Sinema have both said that there are parts of the $3.5 trillion bill that they oppose,” Colbert explained. “But they have yet to publicly detail their demands. So they’re holding up the entire government, but they won’t tell anyone what they want. That’s like getting a ransom note that says, ‘Your brother gets it unless you give us … Wouldn’t you like to know?'”

Watch above, via CBS.