What was Speaker Johnson thinking?
House Speaker Johnson came to power when the right wing of the Republican House caucus rose up against then-Speaker Kevin McCarthy and the business-as-usual legislative process.
Johnson was a member of the Freedom Caucus and often described as a MAGA Republican. So, how is it possible that he played business as usual by agreeing to a god-awful funding bill that simply kicked the can down the road and agreed to a bill filled with billions of dollars of perks, pork and pet spending projects? That also includes funding for those automatic Congressional pay raises.
As is often the case, the original 1500 page Bill – based on an agreement between Johnson and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies – was revealed just prior to the voting deadline – providing zero time to read and analyze it. But enough could be garnered on quick perusal to know that it was another congressional stink bomb.
Johnson should have known that there were more than a few in his GOP caucus who would go bonkers. And just a handful is enough to prevent the Speaker from getting the vote count he needed.
Most speakers do not bring a bill up for consideration until they know they have the votes. Johnson brought up the Bill knowing he did not have the votes. At least he should have known. Hell, he did not even have the backing of President Trump, who came out against the bill.
The left-wing press is running with a narrative that it was Elon Musk who doomed the Bill when he posted his opposition on X. That might fit with the left’s narrative attacking Musk as a conflicted billionaire acting as a de facto President, but it is just political bs. That initial bill was dead on arrival no matter what Musk said or did not say.
The Republican revolt against the Bill was already underway when Musk issued his comments on X. Anyone who knows anything about Congress would understand that Musk’s opinion is unlikely to have changed a single vote on the Bill.
Trump can have influence over votes – not Musk. Had Trump strongly supported the bill, it might have had a chance. But the bill was so bad that he had to oppose his own Speaker.
The there was a second bill proposed by Johnson. It too failed. Finally, there was a bipartisan compromise bill that passed and a government shutdown was put off for another day. It passed over the opposition of __ Republican House members.
Trump wanted Congress to abolish the meaningless debt ceiling. Insofar as the final bill did not provide for that, Trump came out on the short end of the deal.
And now Johnson’s fate is being debated. Can he survive as Speaker? It only takes one member to move to vacate the chair – and the vote is on. It seems more likely than not that in an actual vote, Johnson would not get the full support of his members. A couple of defections, and he is out. That could lead to another prolonged multi-vote disaster. Even worse because this one comes at the beginning of the new Congress. If Republicans cannot agree at the onset, the business of the House ceases. Not only no legislation, but no committee appointments and most significantly … no certification of the incoming President.
It looks like chaos ahead – but it may be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps … just perhaps … this will be the last time that all the nonsense about earmarks, excessive spending, continuing resolutions and legislative hanky-panky will end. President Trump and House Republicans have an opportunity to return the Congress to the normal order constitutionally required budgeting process – which has not taken place for approximately 30 years.
One should not overlook the malevolent role that is being played by the House Democrats. They are united in their refusal to support any bill that does not continue their tax and spend policies – and all the expenditures for their special interest groups. That is the money used to buy votes.
Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz was on the telly talking about the now-dead compromise bill. She talked about the funding for hurricane victims and brush fire victims. Of course, that is a very small portion of the $1.7 trillion dollar short-term funding Bill. She did not point to all the special interest political payoffs. It is a pork barrel bill with more fat than pork.
Democrats are complaining that Trump is acting as if he were already President – and even that Musk is a shadow President. The only person that no one is accusing of acting like a president is … President Biden. Both he and Vice President Harris were MIA during the government funding debate.
Hopefully with the new administration and new resolve, we will at last stop kicking the problem of excessive and wasteful spending down the road and actually bring fiscal responsibility and economic sanity to Washington.
So, there ‘tis.
“Hopefully with the new administration and new resolve, we will at last stop kicking the problem of excessive and wasteful spending down the road and actually bring fiscal responsibility and economic sanity to Washington.”
ho ho ho. yes, eradicating the debt ceiling will get you where Mump likes to go: bankruptcy. Eight times. Horist now says the debt ceiling is meaningless but the electoral college has meaning. Yes, one man can ruin us all and no way does one man get one vote in the Presidency. Sure.
Biggest deficit ever. Blame Covid. Cept Biden reigned during the time of covid and he didn’t break Mump’s record.
Sorry Charlie, but can’t accept your spin. We saw Mump say how to vote, and if you don’t vote our way, it’s being primaried for you. And here’s our bill, suck on it. Seems that not counting is your way of going against Pelosi who always counted.
It’s the chaos, the instability, that’s scary. Who cares whether Johnson, Musk, or Trump, or all three. It’s called governing, not careening. And right now, that’s all Republican. Johnson had lobbied a bi-partisan bill, that’s his job. He counted. Then Mump threw the proverbial clog into the gears and shot the bill down. Then Mump crafted a new bill with the debt ceiling poison bill and forgot to count. And now Trump and his boytoy Musk have eggnog of their faces.
Two years.
Very good Christmas gifting. On to the vegetable extravaganza!!!! Tis to die for. Hashes, mashes, sautes, bakes, and broils, oh my.
Frank Danger ….Biden “reigned during the time of Covid?” I thought it was in decline and that the vaccine was developed in record time by Trump — and was being administered before Biden took office. In fact, Biden promised to have 70 percent of the public vaccinated in his first six months — and he failed miserably. By the time Biden took office, most the the extraordinary expenses of Covid were over. Even the last two stimulus checks … one for Trump and one from Biden — were unnecessary.
To the best of my recollection, Trump was informed by Xi on 12/27/19 about Covid and that “it was going to be bad”. The news media played the clip of Xi’s warning way later. Trump sat on it until Feb-Mar of 2020 with his only action being airport ban of select travelers.
Trump then did a mess of things from Mar 2020 to Nov. 2020 such as: 1) Falsely pushing oxyhydrochloroquine, drinking bleach, sticking a UV light down into your gut, and finally, when he got labeled an idiot for his suggestions, he created Operation Warp Speed.
Trump also invoked the War Powers Act to make a massive amount of ventilators around the same time.
On August 23, 2021, the US FDA gave the first full regulatory approval for a COVID-19 vaccine and approved the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine (Comirnaty) for individuals 16 years and older.
But the vaccine was only available in very limited quantity for high health risk individuals for the remainder of 2020.
Trump never actually created a full blown distribution plan, that was Biden who did that.
Biden goal was 70% partially vaccinated within 6 months (from the time he took office). He was one month late according to the stats that you can view at *https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2021-08-02/biden-reaches-goal-of-70-of-adults-partially-vaccinated-against-covid-19-a-month-late*.
Again Larry, I find your lie by omission to be reprehensible. And yet you think you are an honest, balanced writer. You are NOT. You totally ignored Trump’s being three month late in acknowledging the Covid virus and then his month or two being spent on bogus cures while making the point of Biden being late – but you never mention he was only one month late. This is what I mean when I say you are a dishonest POS of a writer!!!
I hope in 2025 you will commit yourself to the FULL truth!
Tom , your memory is just as fogy as Franks. You must of been first in line for the shot.
My memory is just fine for my age and yes, I was pretty early for ALL of the shots. Never had covid, flu, and probably two minor colds since 2020 so what’s in your wallet Parker?
And what memory do you find foggy, or can’t you recall?
Tom … More sin of omission. U.S. policy on Covid was being driven by Fauci. He initially told Trump and the nation that Covid would not impact on America very much. You recollection of Xi is not all that good. You may recall — or not — that China was in full denial about the source… the seriousness ..and the extent of Covid. You reliance on misinformation… disinformation … and outright lies does not serve you well … nor you habit of projecting.
Tis right Tom, Twas Fauci that did it. Twas Mush that did it. It was Cohen twat did it. Twas Weisselberg, Stone, Manafart, Bannon, Navarro, Gates and even Papadopoulos did it.
So we know where the buck stops, anywhere but Trump. Tis a job requirement to go to jail on his watch so he can name shame to escape the blame. Horist likes the policies. And he blames anyone but Trump (ABT) too.
Trump is like a father to Horist. Sins of his father fall to the son. Like a schoolyard bully, picking fights and whining that the other guy started it. Tom is spot on with the facts, and mostly dovetails my rendition. I will add the others, nice job. Tight. Shiny,.
Larry, I have detailed this a number of times recently, but pbp is hard to search and link. So, I will summarize in answer to your thoughts, but detail and sources are all over pbp.
1. Trump reigned during the first surge, the big one, and his response, especially messaging and communications set the stage for our terrible results: 222 out of 238 countries for death rate.
Larry, if you set our results to 100. not exactly a great accomplishment for the number one country in the world, you can calculate the lives saved. It beyond sobering, it’s sickening. Especially when you compare the health services the guys making the decisions have versus yours and mine. Hundreds of thousands died because of our response failure mostly because of Trump.
2. Biden reigned under two or three smaller surges.
3. The record for vaccine development goes to Germany. Russia, and China. We were after that. Pfizer is the German development and did not use warp speed for development. Still, ows was a good thing.
4. The dismal part of the vaccine was Trump’s delivery. He failed completely. He never came close to making his promisesThen he offered a lame state’s rights logistics plan and no transition to team Biden who redid it. Biden fell a month short of his promise: bite me.
5. By this time, the ramp was set which is why I say, it’s on Trump’s watch. And the results are measured in the death rate.
6. The first surge hit NE; blue, and ravaged the old. We screwed up at senior homes, a lesson you did not learn. Trump’s weak vaccine messaging hit home in the later surges that hit red states and younger unvaccinated folks.
I have not a clue what you mean re: expenses. Please clarify. And yes. both last stimulus were political imo. However, I would have still done it, but targeted by need. Like first responder, poor, etc. I had no use, felt bad, and donated it. As my father said with his WWII disability he turned back, “the other boys need it more.”
Ultimately I blame our response failure on Trump, he set the stage. Biden did great recovery on vaccine distribution but failed on closure during 2023/4 to get elected by not talking about it, continued demise of data tracking systems, and basically a failure to communicate.
All the facts and figures are sourced here. good luck with that.
Frank Danger….. You so-called “sources” have away proved to be someone else’s opinion. Fair enough… but not definitive.
Hoirst; that’s a ridiculously stupid statement.
The death rate is a fact. That’s number one. Source: wiki.
2 and 3: historical facts. Look em up.
4 and 6 facts. In the press record.
5. Opinion but supported by a siimple line chart on the deaths. As I stated in the other posts with links.
You don’t even want to know. Head in sand.
But grab the wiki death rate by country, all 238 of them. We are 222. Sources are listed in wiki. Now take it to 100 and see how many lives would have been saved. We should have been number one so 100 is really not that great.
We suck, the ramp was set on Trump’s watch, you know his messaging, and we end up at 222 with all those dead citizens that you dishonor in your avoidance of the truth for your fealty to Trump.
I am not going to try to search these on Joe’s inferior search engine here. You will believe what you need anyway. But Trumps response killed hundreds of thousands and you didn’t even notice.
Mr. Horist: BUSTED on fake “opinion” slam. So called my sweet billydoots. Not definitive maybe, but you can’t, and don’t refute either. And sure, not definitive, because it’s even WORSE than I portray.
Here’s the piece you could not be bothered to find as you cannot be bothered to know the truth about Trump’s covid response instead accepting Trump as his word, a critical and consistent mistake you make as a decades-old political expert. I just don’t know how you could miss how our response rated against rest-of-world, or the true report card for Operation Warp Speed (OWS), or the vaccination distribution plan, metrics, and measures in lieu of accepting Trump at his word. Why the rose-colored glasses? The info is out there, not hard to find. I put it on PBP, OK, very hard to find. But here it is:
Trump’s covid response sucked and the numbers show it. We are 222 out of 238 countries for death rate and you tell me how that is all Biden. Look at the line chart on death and it is in full ramp when he hands it to Biden, with NO TRANSITION WHATSOEVER, no workable vaccination distribution plan, and his own complete failure at getting jabs to arms. unPresidential and unprofessional. How the fuck does any HUMAN just walk away from his OWS vaccine deployment transition? An archetype sociopath, that’s who. FYI: I am not too happy with Biden either. And don’t get me started on DeSantis’ bullshit.
The first surge is in early 2020 and by March, states began the lockdowns, state’s rights you know because Trump was in the ether. You can look the dates up yourself and I am sure you already know Trump’s plan for vaccine distribution. For the first wave, after all, it was blue states in the NE so fuck em if they can’t take the joke. And in April, the surge began to fall although we knew it was not over. Trump got Operation Warp Speed (OWS) started in May, months after covid was first spotted. OWS delivered two vaccines, however, the Pfizer was the first and was developed without OWS by Pfizer and a German company. Trumpo and OWS had nothing to do with Pfizer’s vaccine until they ordered it using the US might to block others. And, as you have been told on PBP, OWS delivered it’s vaccines after the European, Russian, and Chinese versions. OWS is a great accomplishment but not head of the pack or even covering a major vaccine used in the US. Apparently, you missed or discounted my earlier response to your line of thought on covid.
In October of 2020, the second surge began and due to Trump’s response, we sucked pondwater. Muddy bottom of the pond sucked pondwater in our response. The measures are clear, death, the metrics prove it. You could even cut it in half and we suck still. We were not even in the top 10, top 100 or even top 200. Almost every other nation did better. And the ramp was set by Trump, by the Trump response of programs and messaging. Especially the chaotic and often crazy weird messaging. Trump’s strange messaging on the vaccine, getting his in secret, created a communications clusterfuck that talked about bleach, uv lights, strange meds, set the stage for Biden. Kept saying it would go away, don’t worry. But it was all Trump.
The Hill, pretty reputable stuff even when I don’t like it said: “Public health advocates are watching in growing alarm as former President Trump increasingly embraces the anti-vaccine movement. “I will not give one penny to any school that has a vaccine mandate or a mask mandate,” Trump said in a recent campaign rally in Richmond, Va. Sort of tells you it’s up to you, no big deal, don’t worry about it, be happy. “I wanted to always play it down,” the president said in a March interview to Bob Woodward, the audio recording of which was made public in September. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.” Shit yeah, 1,200,000 dead, no need to worry. January of 2020 Trump says: “completely under control” and suggested that he was not concerned about a pandemic. In February: “It’s going to disappear. One day — it’s like a miracle — it will disappear,” except it did not disappear when he claimed it would and when it did, it was not a miracle, it was not herd immunity from catching it and surviving; it was the vaccine and Joe Biden delivering it to the arms. In March Trump said: “the vast majority of Americans, the risk is very, very low” — though he did warn that the “elderly population must be very, very careful.” That same day, Dr. Anthony Fauci, a member of the White House’s coronavirus task force, told members of Congress at a House hearing that “bottom line, it’s going to get worse.” Fauci right, Trump lies. And he knew it. And you believed him. And vilified Fauci.
I can go on but, face it, Trump’s messaging supported vaccine hesitancy or worse, and that caused premature deaths rating us 222 out of 238 countries for covid death rates. He got his number one ranking amongst developed nations and it stinks. He continues today with the crazy RFK jr who talked about ending the polio vaccine. We are not safe with these gents. You really need to fact check.
So Biden capitalized on OWS and begins to end the pandemic in early January 2021. Lowest level in early July, and then a strange thing happens. Suddenly a third unanticipated surge starting in August, lower that the previous two surges, but lasting until February of 22. This one hit the red states featuring far less vaccinations than the blue states where this second surge was far less deadly. IE — Trump’s response and messaging provided the expected bad results but were recognized in the Biden era and mostly hitting Trump’s own people.
And then he blamed everyone like Fauci, Democrats, God, etc.
The line charts pretty well paint the picture of who set the stage and who was there when it was over. The metrics clearly show the US failed miserably in our response. Now, if you think mask supply, ventilators, etc. outweigh being 222 out of 238 countries for death rate is Biden’s fault, all I can say is who is on first? Who faced two surges and said if you didn’t test so much, we wouldn’t have as many cases. Trump did. Who said I will cut funds to any school with a vaccine or mask mandate? And all the other stupid messages this guy put out that led the red states to greater amounts of early death during the Biden era.
*https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/region/united-states*
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/COVID-19_pandemic_death_rates_by_country*
*https://www.npr.org/sections/latest-updates-trump-covid-19-results/2020/10/02/919432383/how-trump-has-downplayed-the-coronavirus-pandemic*
Now, I have said I did not like the Biden response either, especially his election year pandering to forgetting covid was still out there in some pretty good numbers. But Trump screwed the pooch on this and it is estimated that 500,000 died. He has the best doctors and meds so WTF. I mentioned to AC that if you go to the WIKI chart showing the ranking by death rate by country, we at 222 out of 238; just roll it back to 100 and see how many would still be with us today…….that aren’t. And Trump set the stage.
Well said Frank Danger. Seems like Larry is always forgetting ALL of the facts!
Tom, he certainly is not refuting these beyond braggadocio and fact-less, unsubstantiated, meaningly retorts laced with personal attacks. As is his way.
Frank , I am glad you are not running anything but your mouth. You don’t have any of your fact’s correct. TDS has gotten ahold of you and there is only one shot that can cure you.
But Parker can’t even muster WHICH fact I got wrong. Flaccid fact finder.
And if you are suggesting “there is only one shot that can cure you,” well that’s a Magarat for you. k
Personally, that one seems to suggest violence of a Republican kind and Joe would be better just moderating violent rhetoric no matter how much it is softened and dumbed down.
Remember, Tim, we know where YOU live.
I was disappointed in Trump for wanting the debt ceiling raised and glad he didn’t get that done. If you’re serious about cutting the budget and the debt, then damn it, START NOW.
On the other hand, I’m all in for Trump and his attack on government size and inefficiency.
Regards to Speaker Johson: He is a just another spineless punk. I hope the Republicans aren’t stupid enough to start an in-fight on the next speaker until AFTER Trump is certified. But who knows what these RINO jerk offs will do. Republicans are expert in “snatching defeat from the jaws of victory”.
JWarren: Trump shrunk some government, grew others, ended up with a larger government and the YUGEST debt and deficit ever. Sure, the debt has grown, albeit slower than under Trump, under Biden, but Trump still holds the Deficit RECORD, all time.
Trump went bankrupt 6 times I think.
Johnson wanted a bipartisan bill, it’s basically the bill Trump sent to the House. What’s wrong with that?
But most important, Trump failed the first time, sold you a bridge, and now you expect round two to be different? Optimism or doing the same thing twice expecting a different outcome?
John Warren … In the past I was opposed to abolishing the debt ceiling — and mostly against extending it. I thought we should have the show down over spending even if it took a partial government shut down. I thought Trump made a mistake when he folded during the 30-day government shut down. Today, I am alleviant over abolishing it — most because it has not ever served it purpose. What good is a ceiling if you just keep raising it to accommodate excessive spending? It only works if it as not extended. They sat it only creates a crisis down the line. That is okay as long as the fiscally responsible finally win one of those crises. I have generally like Speaker Johnson … but not so much lately. I also am disappointed in Trump on the Ukraine issues. I think it is essential to our and the world’s security that Putin be totally defeated. It Biden was not too little/too late in terms of Ukraine, that war could have been over by now with no Russian Troops anywhere in Ukraine.
Horist: I have always said that the debt ceiling is a procedural publicity gimmick to take the spotlight off Congress for their day job— managing our spending. Today, we do a reverse spin and use to to spotlight too much spending in a stupid attempt to use the debt ceiling to manage what the money managers have already admitted they can’t. So, get rid of it and let’s shine the light on the real money actions.
I am not sure what you mean by excessive spending, but I do believe we need to reign in the GDP/debt ratio starting with the goal to get below 100, and I think we are at 120 right now. Ultimately we need to hit 60 where we were in 2008 and pretty close all the way back to 1990. But I would take 80 in a NY minute, probably good enough for government work.
The thing with managing debt against gdp is that it just doesn’t stupidly say cut excessive spending which is weaseling around cut spending, but allows that extra revenues via goods and services production can win the day as well as spending cuts. As in if you are making a lot of money, sure, you can afford a bigger loan. Don’t have to, but you can afford it so why not measure that way?
How come none of you ever say anything about all the treason and crimes Biden committed? You all hate Trump so much you cannot see past your own hate. You are all only picking on Trump. Why don’t you do SOMETHING about it instead of blasting your mouths off? Run for office, write letters to your Representatives, Governors, etc. I do not see Trump as having done anything so criminal for you to spew your deranged hate to us about him. Biden has so many crimes he has done it is unbelievable and all that was before he was executed before the fake inauguration, and I am telling the exact truth even if you don’t want to believe it. I don’t
care what you think, either. I believe in the truth, God and human kindness which you show you cannot do! you also show that you think you are the President of the United States no matter who is! None of you have shown any “good” so now I believe you are all criminal in thinking! Especially when one of you told me you want me dead. That IS a crime! AND I will NOT forget and will be doing something about that soon! I am sick of all you wanna bees President! Now that’s a laugh.
AF:Joe Biden crimes are alleged, not convicted. All you got is scuttlebutt.
Your call to revenge for a caustic comment is what it is. It is who you are. It’s just a matter of time. It’s really wrong to speak like that and NO ONE has pushed you to what you say you want to do. And you have said stuff like that before.
Joe should have moderated that comment out IMO.
FD – I am NOT WRONG. I swear on my life I am correct. Do I have to swear on your life, too? My comment should not be moderated, but yours does! You are so in love with breaking laws you can’t see what is right or wrong. Joe Biden was executed for all of his crimes, all five counts of treason. That is a fact! Maybe you should be convicted, too?
AF:Joe Biden crimes are alleged, not convicted. You can say different, you cannot prove different.
AF: Your call for violent revenge is wrong, very wrong.
AF: suggesting that I should be convicted is not only wrong, but crazy.
And yes, I have broken some laws, haven’t you? Jaywalk? Speed, run a stop sign? Little home repair or putting in a fence without permit? Little extra in the charity deduction? Come on. I admit my pot selling was a bit more egregious, but for Christ’s sake, a God given plant that is mostly legal today — perhaps I was just a man ahead of his time :>) But if you and officer Larry want to convict me for what is legal, good luck. As such, I have never committed a crime I can be convicted of. Bite me, both of you. Perhaps if you lived in a more rural area requiring a bit more self reliance, you would just fix the barn without calling for paperwork and red tape. And I have reclaimed a 170 year old house that had grass growing on the roof when I bought it to modern standards while restoring much of the original. I have no trouble meeting my maker on that account. Again, I admit my pot selling days were a bit more egregious. but in hindsight —- glad I did and today, I would have a dispensary instead.
Fortunately, PBP and its writers as te merely voicing the opinions of the admittedly conservative point of view. Personal opinions are often based on feelings and emotional perceptions relying on not actual facts nor proven truth.
When the writer forms a commentary from their opinion’s judgements on a certain topic and then post an article on that topic. It is very conceivable that not every reader will be of the same opinion as the writer’s.
Where there’s friction (the rub) between opinions there’s heat. Particularly when politics is the subject type and when the deferences are opinion based rather than academic based factual truth based.
Larry writes to voice his opinion on his chosen topic. Whether or not PBP’s readers agree with Larry’s assessment of the topic is primarily moot. He is, after all, voicing his opinion on the topic and that no material references are given as the basis for his reasoning is usual and customary in this instance.
If PBP was a venue for posting the writer’s treatise on the topic. It would demand the academic procedure that requires references to works which prove the facts presented are the unquestionable truth.
Whereas, with an opinion based commentary any information may and can not be assumed true and unquestionable by nature due its source was the writer’s opinion.
In this case it’s Larry’s opinion. Purely and simply put it’s Larry’s given assumption that his opinions are substantive, correct, beyond theory, and indisputable.
Now that’s a writer who is sure of himself in his understanding and of his opinion’s fairly immutable standings. Must be nice.
What I find nice are writers and situations In this chaotic time that are predictable as the sun rising in the east every 24 hours. Some things one knows will remain as is.
So, Larry’s posts are, in fact, his opinions and not words hewn in stone as are laws and the U.S. Constitution. Readers are free to take them or leave them for information or interest sake. It’s the readers call. And, commentaries by opinion writers should not be confused with writers who report the news. Opinions are personal filterings of events in the news.
As far as Johnson’s situation and Congress’ actions it’s a wait and see proposition and the facts will land as they have in history. Where the will and without pre knowledge.