Posted on 03/12/2025 9:43:32 AM PDT by SoConPubbie
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) said Tuesday he plans to vote for the rule governing debate over the debt limit bill, virtually ensuring the legislation’s advancement to the House floor despite conservative opposition.
Massie — a conservative lawmaker who sits on the House Rules Committee — announced his intent to vote for the rule during the panel’s hearing Tuesday.
“I want to see the rule, it’s not printed yet, it’s not been read, but I anticipate voting for this rule,” he said. “When people want to express their ideology, the floor of the House on the actual final passage of the bill is the place to do that. What do the 13 of us owe the rest of Congress? We owe them an honest shake and a playing field that doesn’t change.”
Attention was focused on the Rules Committee on Tuesday as it debated the debt limit bill crafted by President Biden and Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). The legislation raises the debt limit for two years, beefs up work requirements for federal public assistance programs and rescinds billions of dollars in unspent COVID-19 funding, among other provisions.
The legislation has come under criticism from some liberals and conservatives, with Democrats concerned with the number of spending provisions in the measure and Republicans frustrated that the legislation is not aggressive enough in terms of cutting spending.
Reps. Chip Roy (Texas) and Ralph Norman (S.C.) — both of whom sit on the Rules Committee — have emerged as outspoken GOP critics of the bill, leading some to question if they would oppose the rules Tuesday.
Votes in the Rules Committee are typically party-line, with the majority party supporting the rule and the minority voting against it. But if Massie, Norman and Roy all voted against the rule — and Democrats oppose it as well, which is customary — the bill would be blocked from advancing to the floor.
Roy and Norman have both signaled that they could vote against the rule in an attempt to block it from reaching the floor.
“I’m on Rules Committee. It’s a great committee; we know everything coming through, but folks, if we can stop it there I will stop it,” Norman said during a press conference Tuesday.
In a tweet Sunday, Roy said “We’re going to try” to stop the bill from passing the House.
Massie, however, virtually erased that possibility Tuesday when he said he plans to vote for the rule.
The Kentucky Republican highlighted a provision in the bill that incentivizes Congress to pass 12 appropriations bills by threatening to cut government spending by 1 percent across the board if the measures are not approved by Jan. 1.
“There is one way in which I think this bill got better, and it is this 1 percent cut that we’re all agreeing to if we vote for this bill, Republicans and Democrat, come Jan. 1. If we haven’t done our homework, and if the Senate hasn’t done their homework, and if the president hasn’t signed those bills — so everybody is gonna be in this, responsible for the outcome,” Massie said during the Rules Committee hearing.
The congressman did, however, criticize the process by which Biden and McCarthy struck their agreement.
“I don’t like this process that led to this bill, I’m not gonna lie,” he said Tuesday. “Sending in one person to go into a room with another person and no cameras there, and then they come out and say up or down, take it or leave it. That is not a good process.”
“But that’s not the process we’re gonna follow when we get to appropriations. And the one redeeming — there are things to dislike and things to like about this bill — but the redeeming portion for me is section 102 where we all come to the — we’re forced, Senate, House, Republican, Democrat, president, everybody, for us to come to the table and do our job, pass all 12 appropriations bills. If we haven’t at that point and there’ll be a 1 percent cut,” he added.
Different president.
One of the biggest phonies in DC — and that’s saying a lot.
So what? In May of 23 we had Kevin McCarthy who SWORE this was the last time and that in September they would do a budget. So he gave him a chance. Also we did not have the Senate. We did not have the White House.
Today we have the White House, Senate, and House. DOGE has uncovered around 2 trillion in theft and fraud and abuse.
Today is very different that May of 23.
If we do not stand up and perform now, we won’t in September.
It’s childish to whine that he did it than and won’t do it now. It’s the difference in holding your hands up when taken by surprise and going for your pistol when the bandit is distracted.
I have yet to head of why September is a better time to do it right than today. What will be different?
This was his price, and Trump might be better served adopting it.
The only repub without an AIPAC handler.
Thomas Massie's (@RepThomasMassie) political history consistently shows opposition to Donald Trump's agenda.
Notably, Massie strongly supported Kevin McCarthy throughout all fifteen rounds of voting for Speaker, showing his loyalty to establishment interests.
Afterward, despite promoting his image as "Mr. No Vote," Massie surprisingly voted "yes" on the controversial Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling agreement, widely criticized as a financial disaster.
This crucial vote highlights a clear pattern: Massie uses libertarian language to build an image of principled resistance but strategically sides with establishment politicians when critical decisions arise.
Those who see Massie as a committed fiscal conservative should carefully review his actual voting record rather than his carefully created image.
It's important to distinguish between his public rhetoric and his legislative actions.
Massie's decisions suggest strategic calculation rather than true ideological consistency - take careful notes.
Now 1% is not enough. Not even close. Not after DOGE.
Can ANYONE explain to me why in September they will be able to do 12 appropriations bills, no CRs, no Omnibus, and it’s going to reflect all the waste, fraud, theft and abuse DOGE uncovered?
Why is this not possible today, but they can certainly do it in September?
Oh, ok. So he’s fake, and he should vote to fund government just the same as ever, USAID, no wall, Ukraine etc... because in September, after our momentum dies down, THAT is when they can do things right.
Can’t have a dreaded shutdown. And owning both houses we cannot ram it through as we please.
Got it.
I appreciate your spirit, though it’s only 1% more than the current plan!
thanks for finally showing the whole forum who you really are, it comes out eventually, jackass.
What in the actual hell are you talking about? .... jackass
You claimed that Th US Government is controlled by AIPAC. President Trump is 100 percent pro-Israel. Is HE controlled by AIPAC.
OMG.. I was disloyal to AIPAC? Sorry, I am an American. I cannot believe that they do not have to register as foreign agents under the foreign agents registration act.
I think Israel should exist, I would like to see them bulldoze all of Gaza and honestly, IDK what they do with the Gaza idiots. Take them out into the Sinai and if they never come back, I won’t ask any questions. Ok?
But yeah, they have some real scrotes in their government, so no blind loyalty or free pass. Epstein Island was a Mossad/CIA blackmail gathering operation. Tel Aviv supported the Syrian rebels by always bombing the Syrian Army but never getting around to ISIS...ever.
And yes, nearly all of congress except a few Jew hating democrats like Talib have an AIPAC handler. Massie is the only repub without one and they have had the red ass about him for years.
He doesn’t fund wars or foreign aid. And they don’t like that.
But yeah, there are a hell of a lot of AIPAC voices whispering in Trump’s ear that Massie won’t play ball.
It’s silly to see corruption in DC, decency and flatout evil. But think that Israel is pure and righteous. They are like any other nation. And yes, it’s a problem how deeply they have penetrated the US Government.
That's been my take. What you describe as "inconsistency" may in fact be situational decision-making. Hence, in any one case it is tricky to make a hard conclusion as to his conservative reliability.
Yeah, you answerer all right. go join your friends nitzy, and the other Israel haters. you guys strain on the gnat of Israel, and swallow the camel of Globalism. meanwhile, you are willing to support Russia over President Trump. Let me tell you something, Putin WILL pay the proper respect to the United States and President Trump. Israel is NOT disrespecting America, the globalists are. No, one is whispering in President Trump’s ear. He has ALWAYS been 100 percent pro-Israel, so choke it down.
Only the crazy, thump your chest, ego-centric, Don Quixote tips believe that nonsense.
As it now stands the votes don’t exist. That is why President Trump has taken the approach he has taken.
If he were to take Massie’s approach (and I take it your approach as well) it would be the hill we would die on and instead of increasing our lead in the House we would lose bothe houses in 2026 and the Presidency in 2028.
You people, if you get your way in terms of strategy will be the death of this country and I am not kidding.
If Dems win the midterms they're as likely planning to impeach him the rest of the time, so I'm not sure what the alternative strategy is that doesn't involve proposing cuts in spending at some point before the midterms. Trump originally gave DOGE until July 4, 2026 to propose cuts. Is he then going to do nothing with that? He could be planning to try to make 2026 a referendum on whether people want cuts.
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