“We’re on the job now. We’re going to make it happen,” said Johnson this week. Really? Make what happen?
209 Democrats and 127 Republicans Pass Clean Spending Bill
On November 14, I noted 209 Democrats and 127 Republicans Pass Clean Spending Bill
The next day the Senate approved the clean bill with no changes so it goes to Biden’s desk for signing.
Honeymoon Period Ends
The Wall Street Journal comments New Speaker Mike Johnson Confronts Old GOP Problems as Honeymoon Period Ends
After winning the gavel in late October, the Louisiana Republican averted a crisis this past week and passed a short-term spending bill that funds the government through early next year. But to do so, the new speaker had to rely on large numbers of Democrats, with 95 members of his own party voting against that deal because they said it did too little to cut federal spending or secure the border.
Now, the speaker will have to pass the remaining five of the overall 12 appropriations funding bills that make up the government budget. Those bills will then need to be worked out with the Democratic-controlled Senate before the next government shutdown deadlines, which fall on Jan. 19 and Feb. 2 for two groupings of federal agencies.
“We’re on the job now. We’re going to make it happen,” said Johnson this week.
While Johnson has broad support in the GOP conference, he faces the same structural problems as former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), who was ousted just days after he passed his own short-term deal keeping the government open.
Republicans have a razor-thin 221-213 majority, meaning they can lose no more than three votes on party-line measures. The party also remains in near-constant disarray, with rank-and-file members willing to block party leaders by holding up key votes.
Hard-line conservatives have held their fire on Johnson but have made clear they want to see results soon. House Freedom Caucus member Rep. Chip Roy (R., Texas) gave a fiery speech on the House floor in which he fumed about the short-term funding vote and asked GOP colleagues to “explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done.”
Speaker Johnson says he had little choice to seek Democratic Party help in passing the continuing resolution that averted a shutdown. But he said this was the last time he would ask colleagues to support a funding extension called a continuing resolution – the bane of many conservatives – declaring that he’s “done with short-term CRs.”
House Republicans remain split over components of five unpassed appropriations bills that their leaders have drafted.
House lawmakers have yet to take another look at the bill that funds the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which failed in a House floor vote in late September. Some lawmakers objected to a provision voiding a Food and Drug Administration policy allowing patients to obtain mifepristone, a drug used to induce abortion, directly from pharmacies rather than healthcare providers. Other lawmakers balked at deep spending cuts to farm programs.
Rep. Tom Cole, an Oklahoma Republican in charge of another stalled appropriations bill relating to housing and transportation, said that conservatives were pushing for unrealistic spending cuts given how housing and infrastructure costs have risen. Other Republicans had objected to steep cuts to Amtrak railroad grants.
What Republicans Are Bickering Over
- Funding for Israel
- Funding for Ukraine
- Mifepristone, a drug used to induce abortion
- Spending cuts to farm programs
- Steep cuts to Amtrak railroad
There are Republicans for and against all of those things. That means whatever passes will need support from Democrats. Then it needs bipartisan support in the Senate.
Guess what. Some hardliners are guaranteed to lose every one of those battles. There will be funding for Israel, funding for Ukraine, Mifepristone will not be blocked, there will not be spending cuts to farm programs, nor will there be spending cuts to Amtrack.
The only hope to do anything at all involves the border with Mexico where a majority of both parties wants to do something.
Same Menu, Different Waiter
Chip Roy is correct in his assertion “explain to me one material, meaningful, significant thing the Republican majority has done.”
And for the first time ever, I agree with Progressive Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D., Wash.) who said, “It’s the same menu, different waiter.”
McCarthy had secured moderate changes for the better but the hardliners demanded more. So instead of getting something, Republicans got nothing at all.
The best deal Republicans can hope for is the deal McCarthy strived for, then had to abandon.
Johnson will fare no better than McCarthy. There may be one difference though. If Johnson gets any minor victory, even one McCathy was willing to try for, the hardliners may praise Johnson.
The hardliners criticize Johnson for not getting any appropriation bills passed individually. But it’s the hardliners fault for demanding too much.
The political reality is as Conor Sen stated and so have I in different words: “When your party doesn’t hold the White House or the Senate you typically don’t accomplish anything,”
Nothing has changed but the waiter.
Only one good thing to do. Shut’er Down til the next admin takes over.
The less this admin does, the better.
One of the problems with democracy: the government is involved in so many areas of modern life that it’s easy to divide and conquer. Instead of voting for a few important items; a single vote now is for many complex items so nothing will improve and nothing substantial will be discussed. Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others. – Churchill. (My keyboard won’t make quotation marks!)
I have to agree with Mish: it is only common sense that nothing of substance has changed. Thus, same menu different waiter applies. This is common logic and one has to be a fool not to see it.
The reason I say this is to point out that IFF something does change then Mish and most others never saw it coming. Their worldview is based on what humans can see and do. But Mike Johnson is a Bible believing Christian, at least he portrays one on TV. Giving him the benefit of this doubt for a moment, it does open us up to the wild card possibility that the hand of G_d might be on Johnson’s shoulder. If that is the case, nothing is impossible because nothing is impossible for G_d.
Many will say “yes and the spaghetti monster will show up and changes things too”. I’m good with that for strait is the gate and narrow is the way and every human has been given the free will to make their bed and then lie in it later on.
But right now it does APPEAR impossible that Johnson will be any different than anyone else. So now we will see if the hand of G_d is upon Mike Johnson or not.
When Mike Johnson Xmas hoot is over he will stick it to Biden and Hakeem.
On the fiscal and moral implications of Ukraine, there is a clear majority in Congress to support more aid, and I am all for it. But MAGA says absolutely no way. I can only conclude that MAGA is Putin’s fifth column in American politics. But why? There are several possibilities. Maybe Putin is just a very strong guy (sure, he can even pose without a shirt, something Trump clearly can’t or shouldn’t do!); but the real explanation is more likely that MAGA likes Putin because he is a role model they would like to see operating things here in America.
all I can say is GOOD JOB mr. Johnson
keep all funding for these illegal wars sidelined
This is what happens when you elect corrupt idiots in positions they are not qualified for. Speaker Johnson is a poor representation of a House Speaker. Racists moralist bigots, who do not shy away from special interest money (apparently religion allows for that), make mockery of true principles and coherent beliefs.
We have been Gaslighted, now let’s Fix the problem at its source.
Social Security (SS) has been called the third rail of politics. The reason for this is that anyone who even discusses SS bankruptcy will get severely punished for bringing up a topic of such devastating potential. Any messenger foolish to deliver such a message will get destroyed. We are trapped on a sinking ship.
The annual SS Trustee report hints at a$22Trillion funding shortfall for SS and $23Trillion for Medicare. But these totals are buried in complex statistics. Even admitting it’s there would be political suicide for a public figure. But since I am a Boomer with an MBA and never plan to run for public office, I have nothing to lose and instead will blow the whistle on this ticking time bomb and the people that caused it and begin recover the money stolen from us boomers.
Things you should know but believe that they didn’t or couldn’t happen: To finance the War on Poverty Lyndon Johnson signed a bill into law that allowed the US Treasury to “barrow” from our Trust Funds, in any amount and at any time, for any reason. No timetable for repayment was required and no fixed interest rate was ever established.
The majority media supported this plan and didn’t blow the whistle on the fact that none of this barrowing has ever been paid back with real cash, just vague verbal promises. Some of this debt has been refinanced but never paid for. Replacing old verbal promises with new promises isn’t a repayment.
Bill Clinton’s Budget Surplus Hoax was constructed using this trick. He spent every dollar from the SS and Medicare trust funds and called it revenue not a debt owed to us boomers. Other large Trust Funds only had some of their money removed i.e., the Highway Construction Fund and the Airport Construction Fund. Note that the Treasury Dept. reports to this day that our last budget surplus was in 1957 when Eisenhower was president. Not when Cliton was in office. Obama then gave “America a Raise” and lowered SS tax rates for two years to camouflage the first shortfall of cash needed to pay SS benefits. That was ten plus years ago, and the democrats got away with it and still do. America has been gaslighted.
How should we correct this problem? The way Americans deal with all big expensive crimes these days. We need to sue the Democratic Party and their willing and necessary partners in this crime, the Majority Media. (They are nowhere near the mainstream and have given up their right to be part of the Fourth Estate.)
A class action suit by us baby boomers to recover the $3.5 Trillion in stolen cash that was replaced with worthless political promises is in order. This debt is included in our National Debt totals while simultaneously being reported by the SS and Medicare Admin as the money in their “Reserves”. Next time you see a trial lawyer’s ad that says you should call and find out if you have a case or no case, call and ask if he wants a slice of a $3.5 Trillion recovery suit. Even a small 1.0 % contingency fee would pay every partner in a 100 partner law firm $350 Million. There are over 50 million Boomers out there who would like to be on that jury and help get our money back. Please make the call.
Dave, Kenosha County, WI
“We have been Gaslighted, now let’s Fix the problem at its source.”
How do you fix human nature? It is the same routine, over and over again. The American colonists escaped the British Empire, to immediately start building one of their own, first from sea to shining sea, via a self proclaimed manifest destiny. Here we are now, with our own bread and circuses. Another empire builder is waiting in the wings for the demise of another debt laden empire.
We can fix human by removing the greed genes from all new births.
You mean what we did to sheep?
How do you fix human nature? Write a rule book and enforce the rules. The The Ten Comandments and a Balanced Budget Amendment would do the trick. Enforcement is the issue. Hence, the Law Suit.
I am sure the fed can print the money to cover SS shortfall then suck it back out during hyper inflation.
Not without lots of volatility or what have you…
Pandemic kills less than 1 percent of world population yet shuts down world economy for two plus years, a 30 day WW financial crisis, YAWN!
Inflation for two years after 50 years without; no ww financial crisis.
Russia invades Ukraine, sanctions against Russia, unseen ever, no ww financial crisis.
Banks failing with billions lost, er, not, because of aforementioned printing. No ww financial crisis.
Home mortgage prices from 3 to 7 percent, no ww financial crisis.
Hamas taking American hostages , Isreal bombing Palestinian hospitals.
NO WW FINANCIAL CRISIS.
we are all waiting for a very light colored Grey swan, rather than black, to drop the world into the next FINANCIAL CRISIS.
where do I apply to the position of :THE POWERS THAT BE?
I’m sure I could be a valuable addition to the tribe.
– The new speaker had to rely on large numbers of Democrats to pass that deal
> Far more than the Republicans, so they are on the hook if thing’s break down from here
– Now, the speaker will have to pass the remaining five of the appropriations funding bills. Those bills will then need to be worked out with the Democratic-controlled Senate before the next government shutdown deadlines.
> No they need to stand firm, as a Party, and easily blame the Democrats if it fails because of them. The Democrats hold the Senate, the last I checked
– We’re on the job now. We’re going to make it happen,” said Johnson this week. Republicans have a razor-thin 221-213 majority, meaning they can lose no more than three votes on party-line measures
> They need to stand firm, as a Party
– Hard-line conservatives have made clear they want to see results soon
> So, they need to present passable bills, and then stand firm as a Party
– Speaker Johnson said this was the last time he would ask colleagues to support a funding extension declaring that he’s “done with short-term CRs.”
> Now it’s up to the Party to make it happen
Funding for Israel > Should be 100% Support
Funding for Ukraine > Should be minimal Support at this point
Mifepristone, a drug used to induce abortion > Should be Support by State by Laws
Spending cuts to farm programs > Should be minimal Support
Steep cuts to Amtrak railroad > Should be 100% Support of this Boondoggle…
unfortunately its UNI-PARTY from here on out
no need to vote anymore
Johnson seems to be making a comeback after getting 44k hours of 1/6 footage released.
Just when I think the Democrats have slip’d the surly bonds of earth and touched the face of God, I remember that there are two groups of crazies.
Meet the new boss…same as the old boss
You can’t vote your way out of tyranny
Pick up your guitar and play just like yesterday then get on your knees and pray.
Fiscal austerity is just a culturally regressive tool that private finance utilizes to re-inforce their monopoly paradigm of Debt Only/Burden to Repay as the sole form and vehicle for the creation of new money.
As every new paradigm has historically been in complete conceptual opposition to the present/old paradigm that makes the new paradigm Monetary Gifting, specifically Direct and Reciprocal Monetary Gifting.
This expanded label reflects the wonderful tool and reality anchoring discipline of accounting which is the way the Banks create our money and that we can also utilize to integrate the new paradigm into the economy. There is an evolving 20+ policy program in my book beginning with the precise expression of the new paradigm a 50% Discount (debit) to the consumer at retail sale all of which is Rebated back (credited) to the merchant giving the discount so they are made whole on their entire price. As everyone participates in retail sale (a new macro-economic insight in and of itself that has gone unrecognized a billion times per day since forever and is the perfect place to macro-economically implement the new monetary paradigm)…a 50% discount at retail sale would enable the individual to purchase a $60k Tesla for $30k and a $400k house for $200k thus immediately doubling everyone’s purchasing power, greatly increasing the demand for every enterprise’s goods and services, ending inflation forever and lowering the rate of private indebtedness severely…all in one fell swoop.
Would you like this? Start a mass movement to communicate the new monetary paradigm’s benefits to the individual instead of trying to get ego-involved academics and pundits to change their curricula and minds.
In my book I’ve got policies that curb consumption by requiring a sliding scale percentage of gifted money be invested in eco-bonds at 5-6% which along with fiscal deficits could fund climate change research and the mega-projects necessary to confront that problem. I’ve even got a policy that private banks would find hard to refuse and that would further lower the amount financed for the above Tesla and house by another 50%.
Time to take the new monetary paradigm to the streets…”by any and all technological means necessary”.
Idiot Gibberish
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
More of the same. Except for a handful of the Republicans, they’re all swamp creatures.
Like I said the other day, we now know why Jordan didn’t get the gavel.
He was willing to the shutdown the government and follow through on several other controversial measures not supported by the UniParty.
I do think he’ll be better than McCarthy but to what extent is far from knowable at this time.
Regarding Amtrak, the Amish, Mennonites, etc. will be better off avoiding Chicago Union Station and surrounding area.