GOP tempers flare as McCarthy pans McConnell’s spending strategy

The Hill ^ | 12/15/2022 | ALEXANDER BOLTON

[ChicagoConservative27]

House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) is taking public shots at Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell’s (Ky.) plan to pass an omnibus spending package before Christmas, fueling tensions between Senate and House GOP leaders.

McConnell’s Senate allies say that McCarthy’s criticisms are “not helpful” to their efforts to pass a year-end spending package and avoid a government shutdown. And they worry this could be a preview of a potentially “challenging” working relationship between McConnell and McCarthy in the next Congress.

McCarthy told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Tuesday evening that he hopes Senate Republicans won’t vote for the omnibus spending bill, arguing that they could save almost $100 billion in taxpayer money by voting instead for a stopgap measure that would freeze federal funding levels until next year when Republicans will take control of the House.

[ChicagoConservative27]

Did Kevin finally find his balls? Or wishful thinking on my part?

[usafa92]

Kabuki theater. McCarthy trying to appear conservative to attain the Speakership.

[cotton1706]

McConnell’s spending strategy is ALWAYS to neuter the House’s power over spending levels, and then to get to September 30th so they can scream about a government shutdown. Then delay till December for the Christmas break pressur.

Wash, rinse, repeat.

Modus Operendi since 2007 but everybody pretends to be clueless.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Probably a bit of both. But as long as he does the right thing, the why is less important.

[nathanbedford]

Did Kevin finally find his balls? Or wishful thinking on my part?

Kevin has worked his whole adult life to be Speaker of the House and now on the threshold of power McCarthy is taking that away from him.

McCarthy is, in effect, stealing the power of the purse from the people's house with this omnibus bill leaving McCarthy with investigative hearings that will not be reported in the mainstream media and the power of impeachment which the media will turn back on Republicans.

Without the power of the purse, The House and McCarthy might as well have left the Democrats in control.

[Yogafist]

McCarthy doesn’t have a dog in this fight, he can’t do anything in the house. He is pandering to conservatives placing the blame on McConnell. All the Democrats have to do is refuse to negotiate a short term deal, shut down the government and blame Republicans and they will surrender so fast it will make you head spin. McCarthy would too if he was in control of the house. Besides, they always sound toughest just before they cave.

[GOPJ]

Mitch McConnell sucks. He’s not as vile as a democrat - but he gets close...

[popdonnelly]

Good for McCarthy.

[C210N]

Yep, 100% choreographed.

McCarthy, McConnell, Shoomer, Cheney, Waters... all of the same Uniparty. The only slight difference is the role they play - evil statist or controlled opposition statist .

[airborne]

The nine scariest words, “I’m from the government and I’m here to help”. - Ronald Reagan

The two most beautiful words to a fiscal conservative- “Government Shutdown”!

[DouglasKC]

Whenever Republicans can shut down this freaking government they should. Just on principle. But then again they agree with Biden. They’re just being the good cop so idiots keep voting for them.

[EEGator]

Do most Americans care if the government gets shut down?
I don’t.

[wiseprince]

It always seems to be up to Repukes to prevent a shutdown. Anyone else notice that? Can’t remember Bernie having to drop demands. The Repukes go along with it because that’s the game

[AnotherUnixGeek]

McConnell’s Senate allies say that McCarthy’s criticisms are “not helpful” to their efforts to pass a year-end spending package

Screw McConnell and his Senate allies. What is helpful to them is harmful to the rest of us.

[Magnum44]

I think you meant McConnell instead of McCarthy in one or two places in your post, but I get it.

My question is this: the budget process is two steps, authorization and then appropriation. Authorization just tells the government the limit on how much they can spend. Appropriation is what actually sets aside the treasury dollars for spending.

With such poorly educated reporters and sad state of reporting news, what I don’t know is, with this proposed senate bill funding the government through next September, is that the authorization or the appropriation? If it’s the first, the the new house can still refuse to appropriate. I’d guess it’s the authorization but as a continuing resolution, I am not sure where that fits in.

But I’d really like to hear a good explanation by someone knowledgeable on the subject. Congress in general has mocked up the budget process and shirked their responsibilities for decades now.

[Yogafist]

Most probably don’t, but you have to remember, a sizeable portion of society, even some of those who don’t care are easily led by the nose into blaming Republicans when the media goes into full attack mode. (Which I think is a result of Republicans allowing the media to define them for a couple generations.)

[joethedrummer]

Yep. One thing they learn to do in DC is how to play “Bad Cop/Good Cop” for the peasants while they’re robbing said peasants…

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Ol’ Kevin’s trying to be speaker, and he has to win some holdouts to do this.

It would be nice if Kevin had actually let his testicles descend, but this is likely just a bid to gain votes. He will need to make some concessions that would actually benefit America to become speaker.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Isn’t it McConnell (Mostly-Useless RINO, KY) the one trying to stop McCarthy, not McCarthy himself?

[rrrod]

Yep.