Spending Deal Debacle Threatens Johnson’s Tenuous Hold on His Job

The New York Times ^ | Dec. 19, 2024, 4:20 p.m. ET | Carl Hulse

[E. Pluribus Unum]

A Republican backlash to the speaker’s plan to temporarily fund the government has sparked new talk of ousting him, and highlighted the challenges he will face if he manages to keep his job.

Speaker Mike Johnson spent months doing everything he could to hang on to his job come January, most notably a concerted charm offensive to keep President-elect Donald J. Trump placated and in his corner. It took just a few hours on Wednesday for it to all go bad.

The Louisiana Republican this week got a taste of what life could be like in the second Trump era beginning next month as he was mercilessly undercut on his complex year-end legislation by Mr. Trump and the president-elect’s exceedingly influential ally Elon Musk — that is, if Mr. Johnson is the speaker at all.

“We’ll see,” Mr. Trump told NBC News on Thursday when asked about his confidence in Mr. Johnson.

The speaker’s fate was thrust into question after House Republicans exploded in anger over the fully ornamented legislative Christmas tree he rolled out to fund the government into March, a 1,500-plus-page grab bag of year-end priorities and policy changes.

House Republicans, who have spent the weeks since the election talking about how they are going to remake the government in concert with Mr. Musk and cut all sorts of agencies and spending programs, were suddenly confronted with a bipartisan big-ticket measure that looked a lot like business as usual.

Mr. Trump demanded that Mr. Johnson jettison the deal he had cut with Democrats to keep the government open and, for good measure, raise the federal debt ceiling before Mr. Trump takes office. The speaker spent Thursday contorting himself to try to fulfill those demands, and by late afternoon had hatched a plan to do so, though it was unclear whether he would be able...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Johnson is just the House version of McTurtle.

[ridesthemiles]

IT is HARD TO GROW UP AT SUCH AN ADVANCED AGE

[sipow]

The Democrats are trying to screw the country over on their way out by forcing the shutdown. Trump should come after every one of them hard on day one.

[Carry_Okie]

Speaker Mike Johnson spent months doing everything he could to hang on to his job come January, most notably a concerted charm offensive to keep President-elect Donald J. Trump placated and in his corner.

FO-NYT.

[libertylover]

Hey, Johnson, Trump won the election for a reason, well, many reasons. Figure it out or get out of the way.

[joshua c]

how do the big spenders always get what they want?

wait til the last minute

and change the conversation to

a govt shutdown

[mewzilla]

How do they do it...?

From September, on baseline budgeting for those unfamiliar with what Deep State uses to screw us silly...

How “Temporary” Emergency Spending Bloats the Federal Budget for Years

[FlipWilson]

Shut it down and teach the Dems that the shutdown weapon is done. They do this every time. Threaten a shutdown and get whatever the eff spending that they want.

[Carry_Okie]

The Democrats are trying to screw the country over on their way out by forcing the shutdown.

If we get a shutdown, all those vile Fed-or-ill agencies won't be able to churn those awful regulations and spend all that lovely money nobody has. It's the best thing we can do to tie their hands until the inauguration.

[DIRTYSECRET]

Reminds me of a vampire flick(Salem) where the vampire had the upper hand and waving a cross in his face just made him laugh.

[God luvs America]

Byron Donald- Speaker of the House!!

[odawg]

Why would any Republican negotiate with, or grant legitimacy to, Hakeem Jefferies?

[MinorityRepublican]

The Democrats are trying to screw the country over on their way out by forcing the shutdown.

Let Joe Biden shut down the government. Then Trump can make a deal after the inauguration.

[Biblebelter]

I don’t blame Johnson as much as I blame the Republican wing of the Uniparty that produced him.

Trump takes a lot of criticism on this forum for his past picks which is unfair.

The hiring pool is not full of “natural” Trumpsters.

Look at JD Vance, he is a Johnny come lately to Trump and in my view it was ONLY his raw ambition that changed his point of view.

The question for Johnson is, will this humiliating “experience” bring him to understand Trump and his America First movement have been elected to restore this republic to its former standing.

The fact he is coming up with plans in the short term that fail is not troubling as long as those plans require Democrat votes because TRUTH is any bill that this Trumpster would favor will NEVER receive ONE Democrat vote.

The test for Johnson is what kind of bill he comes up with after there is a shutdown and he crafts a bill that has met the requirements that do need a single Democrat vote.

Facts are facts.

A bi-partisan Continuing Resolution that is favorable to America First is a pipe dream.

There needs to be a bill which is passed strictly along party lines even if the majority is razor thin.

[Brian Griffin]

H.R.8295 - Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2023
117th Congress (2021-2022)

Summary:

This bill provides FY2023 appropriations to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education; and related agencies.

The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Labor for
the Employment and Training Administration,
the Employee Benefits Security Administration,
the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation,
the Wage and Hour Division,
the Office of Labor-Management Standards,
the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs,
the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs,
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
the Mine Safety and Health Administration,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
the Office of Disability Employment Policy, and
Departmental Management.

The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Health and Human Services for
the Health Resources and Services Administration,
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,
the National Institutes of Health,
the Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration,
the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality,
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services,
the Administration for Children and Families,
the Administration for Community Living, and
the Office of the Secretary.

The bill provides appropriations to the Department of Education for
Education for the Disadvantaged;
Impact Aid;
School Improvement Programs;
Indian Education;
Innovation and Improvement;
Safe Schools and Citizenship Education;
English Language Acquisition;
Special Education;
Rehabilitation Services;
Special Institutions for Persons with Disabilities;
Career, Technical, and Adult Education;
Student Financial Assistance;
Student Aid Administration;
Higher Education;
Howard University;
the College Housing and Academic Facilities Loan Program;
the Historically Black College and University Capital Financing Program Account;
the Institute of Education Sciences; and
Departmental Management.

The bill also provides appropriations to several related agencies, including
the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled,
the Corporation for National and Community Service,
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,
the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service,
the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission,
the Institute of Museum and Library Services,
the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission,
the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission,
the National Council on Disability,
the National Labor Relations Board,
the National Mediation Board,
the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission,
the Railroad Retirement Board, and
the Social Security Administration.

The bill also sets forth requirements and restrictions for using funds provided by this and other appropriations acts.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8295

[Glad2bnuts]

If your goal is to “PLACATE” Trump or MAGA voters, you are a phony SOB. Get lost false Christian.

[A Navy Vet]

"Shut it down and teach the Dems that the shutdown weapon is done. They do this every time."

I'm with President Trump and his newest strong-arm Musk. Let the Dem/socialists/commies shut down the FedGov for more than their lame 2 weeks (except for VERY essential payments and services!) Let the American populace learn how unnecessary FedGov largess is.

And NO back pay for the non-essential nobodies for a free paid vacation!!! I'm not sure how Pres. Trump could do that or has the authority, but if Ronald Reagan could fire ALL the Air Traffic Controllers, there must be a way.

[Brian Griffin]

“Making appropriations for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2023, and for other purposes....”

[~274KB - It’s actually readable]
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/8295/text

[mmichaels1970]

The Louisiana Republican this week got a taste of what life could be like in the second Trump era beginning next month

They're seeing what life is like at the end of the Biden era which ends next month. Our President has abdicated and our government SHOULD be shut down until the executive branch gets a leader.

[cuz1961]

when has little mikey EVER dine what he promised ?

never thats when

what was his first promise ?

iirc, he promised to hold strong on budget if we would give up the

1 vote can vacate the chair

then came the 1st cr omnibus shiv in our back

he has promised and reneged and shived us every time has he not ?

screw the budget vote

shut it down

and vacate the chair.

no more trusting the proven untrustworthy

my new nik name for mike

sung to the tune of

Mac the Knife

..Mike the Shiv..