Posted on 02/27/2024 10:30:57 AM PST by RandFan
1) “I think we shut down.”
Those were the words of senior House GOP leadership source about the prospects of a partial government shutdown at 11:59:59 pm et Friday.
2) “I think (House Speaker Mike) Johnson (R-LA) is scared of a CR,” added the Republican source, referring to a Continuing Resolution, an interim spending bill to avert a shutdown.
3) Johnson’s political capital is slipping. And it wouldn’t take much for someone to try to unseat Johnson if he commits to a fourth CR.
That said, Johnson might actually survive that effort compared to his predecessor, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
4) But we don’t know.
Here’s the biggest problem: they are running out of track. It is now midday Tuesday. Funding expires Friday night. The House does not even return from a recess until tomorrow night.
5) And Johnson could face an utter firestorm from conservatives if he punts AGAIN on government funding. That would be the fourth interim spending measure since the initial government funding crisis last September.
6) There is already concern that Congress is running behind schedule on funding the government for the NEXT fiscal year, which begins October 1. That’s why some conservatives would like to do a year-long CR just to keep the lights on and avert a shutdown.
7) It wasn’t that long ago that many conservatives opposed a CR. They used to demand that Congress pass spending bills “by the book.” One by one. Now conservatives are okay with a stopgap plan, known as a “continuing resolution” or “CR.” Federal spending climbs year after year.
8) A CR simply renews all the old funding – without an increase. This gambit maintains the old spending levels. It’s not a cut. But there’s no new funding. Thus, to conservatives, it saves money.
9) But a CR is a problem for many defense hawks – others who are also very conservative. That’s because the Pentagon consumes about 55 percent of all money Congress appropriates each year. So a CR for the military is exponentially worse for the Pentagon than other agencies.
10) Regardless we should know more later today about the fate of a potential stopgap bill. The House has a non-binding “three-day rule” where legislative text must be posted for three days before the House can vote.
11) We’re at that meridian right now if the sides are to avert a shutdown.
In addition, there is starting to be chatter about what happens if there is a partial government shutdown next week when President Biden is scheduled to deliver his State of the Union address.
12) There is nothing which prevents the President from doing the speech. But ultimately, the call is Johnson’s. He’s the House Speaker and extended the invitation to the President.
13) Johnson told me earlier today he did not think this would be an issue because “we’re going to prevent the shutdown.”
But there is precedent for postponing State of the Union.
14) Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) asked former President Trump to hold off on State of the Union in January, 2019 amid the 35-day government shutdown.
A shutdown during State of the Union is simply bad political optics for both sides.
15) So, here’s what we’re staring at if there is a government shutdown this weekend:
This is a partial shutdown impacting four of the 12 federal spending areas: Energy and water programs go dark. Agriculture and food assistance is suspended.
16) Spending for military construction stops. Projects for transportation and housing go on hiatus.
17) However, the ENTIRE federal government shuts down after 11:59:59 pm et on March 8. That’s where the remaining eight spending areas run out of cash. That includes the military and Department of Homeland Security.
No more CRs!!!
Return the House to regular order or shut the whole damned thing down.
L
We have a federal government problem.
The only way to fix it is to starve it.
I am not for a ‘shutdown’ as it is. I am for the same sort of intervention that was done in Argentina. The House controls the purse, they make the choice. America needs the Government to back off the spending, get rid of the employees and balance the budget to survive.
No. Do it right and justify your spending line by line. The CR process is both lazy and corrupt.
“I think we shut down.”
And the American people somehow went on with their daily lives. And didn’t notice.
Or a big omnibus bill with everything rolled in (especially the pork).
Mathematically incorrect.
A CR for the military is LINEARLY worse for the Pentagon.
Golly gee, how about having the Senate pass some funding bills and then there can be conference committees with the House on their bills. And then you can pass a small continuing resolution on what’s left to resolve.
But no, it’s the whole kit ‘n’ kaboodle every three months.
bttt
But for Heaven's sake have a plan and resources in place to win the subsequent media war!!!!
They shut us down, its time we see them get shut down.
They must be forced to feel our pain, or the madness will never stop.
They won’t shut it down because the country would find out it didn’t make any difference
Aren’t these CR’s unconstitutional?
A Chad Pergram unroll? Seriously? The dude takes off his socks to count to 20.
Shutting down is going to make an already bad November outlook worse. I'm currently thinking D+25 and it could go a lot higher.
But, they cannot allow further engagement in the Ukraine disaster. Congress declares war, not the CIA and not the State Department. Neocon propagandists are already trying to gaslight their way to US and European ground troops on Russia's borders, the Rand Corporation is already talking about how to use nuclear weapons to defeat Russia while sustaining "acceptable" losses.
Ending this war is a huge national priority for America. If Congress is paralyzed and cannot pass a budget, then shut it down, and pay the price.
How about a budget based on reality?
Id like to see the government take the rest of 2024 off....let’s see how things stand in early 2025. I think people will be fine. Many won’t even notice.
SHUT IT DOWN!!!!!! They can leave it that way for all I care. Just do it before I have to show up for federal jury duty on Monday March 4. At nearly 70 I just don’t have time or patience for that kind of foolishness. It is spring and planting time. I have much better things to do and I don’t have many springs left in me. Certainly none left to spend in a stupid courthouse trying people who should have been shot already.
I propose a constitutional amendment:
The President must submit his proposed budget by no later than 6 months prior to the start of the next fiscal year.
Congress gets to alter the budget but may not increase the budget.
If no budget is approved by the start of the fiscal year. The prior year’s budget, reducing all categories of spend, shall be in effect until the next fiscal year. During such event, the salaries of Senators and Representatives shall be reduced to the minimum wage.
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