Free Republic

House Speaker Mike Johnson erupted in frustration Thursday after learning that Democrat-led states filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for attempting to determine how many illegal aliens are receiving taxpayer-funded welfare benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). At a press conference alongside USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, Johnson blasted Senate Democrats for prioritizing “political theater” over feeding American families as the government shutdown stretched into its 31st day. “They sued the USDA for asking them, simply asking them to tell them how many illegal aliens are on the programs in California, New York, and these...

President Donald Trump blasted Democrats for prolonging the government shutdown in an interview on Sunday, vowing to permanently eliminate what he called Democratic "welfare programs." "The Democrats are kamikazes right now. They're kamikaze pilots right now. They have nothing going. They have no future," Trump said during an exclusive interview on "Sunday Morning Futures." Trump argued that Democrats lack strong leadership and viable candidates for upcoming elections. He said the shutdown stalemate gives him leverage to cut billions in programs Republicans have long wanted to eliminate. "They didn't realize that that gives me the right to cut programs that Republicans...

Democrats are doing it again.They’re forced to use conventional political tactics to battle the most unconventional president in history — repeating a scenario that keeps leading them to political disaster.At first sight, in the third week of the government shutdown, things seem to be working out better than expected for the opposition party locked out of Washington power. They’ve made their key issue — looming health insurance premium hikes — a national story. They’ve opened divisions in the Republican Party. And contrary to stereotype, they didn’t immediately cave, showing supporters a backbone.In classic shutdown politics, this might have laid a...

President Trump has repurposed money to fund military salaries during the government shutdown. He has pledged to find ways to make sure many in law enforcement get paid. He has used the fiscal impasse to halt funding to Democratic jurisdictions, and is trying to lay off thousands of federal workers.Government shutdowns are usually resolved only after the pain they inflict on everyday Americans forces elected officials in Washington to come to an agreement. But as the shutdown nears a fourth week, Mr. Trump’s actions have instead reduced the pressure for an immediate resolution and pushed his political opponents to further...

The shutdown became one of the three longest in U.S. history on Friday, with lawmakers indicating they believe it will drag on and few signs emerging of progress toward reopening the government. That isn’t stopping questions about what could force lawmakers toward the negotiating table to figure out a resolution, especially with a number of potential pressure points front and center for lawmakers in the coming weeks. Here are some key dates to keep an eye on in the coming weeks that could force action. Oct. 24: Next paycheck for federal employees Government employees — whether they are furloughed or...

Federal judges will continue their necessary work during the shutdown, but staff will only be allowed to perform certain protected activities on duty. The judges and their staff will not receive pay until the shutdown is over. The United States Supreme Court is expected to run out of government funding on Saturday, and other federal courts will be impacted by the government shutdown early next week.The Supreme Court is expected to remain in session during the shutdown but will need to close its doors to the public starting Monday, Supreme Court public information officer Patricia McCabe said in a...

The government entered a shutdown at the beginning of the month, after the Senate failed to pass the House's continuing resolution, or a competing one from Senate Democrats. The Senate needs 60 votes to invoke cloture on? the resolutions. The Senate on Tuesday night failed for the eighth time to make serious headway on passing a House-passed continuing resolution that would keep the government open through Nov. 21. The government entered a shutdown at the beginning of the month, after the Senate failed to pass the House's continuing resolution, or a competing one from Senate Democrats. The Senate needs...

President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to slash funding to government programs favored by Democrats amid the ongoing Schumer Shutdown. During a cabinet meeting, the president discussed the Schumer Shutdown, saying it “is causing pain and suffering for hardworking Americans—military, air traffic controllers, and impoverished mothers, people with young children, people that have to live not the greatest of lives.” “But we're doing so many tax cuts. We've cut their taxes—the great, big, beautiful bill. We've cut taxes at levels that nobody's ever seen: no tax on tips, no tax on Social Security, no tax on overtime” the president continued....

OAN says government shutting down; Senate Democrats won't cave

Congressional leaders announced a bipartisan agreement Sunday on a short-term spending bill that is expected to be approved and sent to the White House this week to head off a possible partial government shutdown when the new budget year begins Oct. 1. The House is set to vote early this week on a three-month continuing resolution that will fund the government at the current fiscal year’s spending levels until Dec. 20. The bill does not include the controversial Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act that doomed its predecessor, and trims some extra spending that the previous version included, too. House Speaker...

In many ways, Speaker Johnson didn’t bail out Democrats from a tough political predicament as much as he did his own Republican members.The outline of the spending agreement House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., cut with Democratic leaders sounds bad on its face. But the underlying reasons for that agreement seem far worse.As I wrote last week, “Speaker Johnson and Republican ‘leadership’ … bailed the Democrats out of the predicament they put themselves in last May.” To which I should make an important addition: In many ways, Johnson didn’t bail out Democrats from a tough political predicament as much as he...

I just watched Maria Bartiromo’s interview with Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy. It’s pretty clear that McCarthy wants to avoid a shutdown at almost any cost. At first, I thought, “Yeah, we need to get rid of him,” but with whom are we going to replace him? Let’s face it, we’re stuck with McCarthy. Below you’ll find a segment of the interview: [video at link] Politics is the art of compromise. So, here’s my second, more rational proposal for Mr. McCarthy. Give McCarthy a budget, any budget he wants, with three very specific caveats: - Zero funding for the...

Woman protest organizer in Hawaii brutalized and required treatment at the hospital. Her story is CHILLING. The video starts at 1:11. Scroll to that point to bypass Sponsor ad. THIS IS A MUST WATCH and LISTEN!

The wife of a Texas-based Border Patrol agent wrote a letter to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) inviting her to come down to the U.S.-Mexico border to have a look for herself why walls are needed and why they work. “We would like to show you around! You don’t need to bring any security detail. Our husbands/significant others are actually very good at their jobs, thank goodness!” Jill Demanski wrote, Breitbart News reported. In an interview with Fox News, Demanski said she penned the letter because she believes that Pelosi needs to see for herself the dangers associated with the...

On Friday afternoon, within minutes of President Trump ending the shutdown, the left declared victory. Dancing up and down on his perceived “grave” the fund raising requests were e-blasted to supporters promising that the day’s events insured already assumed doom for a President they hate. Don’t tell them... but the opposite is now on its way. To see leftwing activists so eagerly cheer the defeat (even temporarily) of some of the most broad-based (and in many instances—Democrat initiated) objectives as it pertains to common sense border security was disheartening. Why Congressional and Senate Democrats would refuse the opportunity to take...

Saturday on Fox News Channel’s “America’s News HQ,” Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) defended the deal President Donald Trump had announced to reopen the federal government on Friday. Gohmert told host Kristin Fisher the deal was not a cave to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (R-CA), but instead the first round of many in the battle over border wall funding. “No, I don’t think that he’s caved to Speaker Pelosi,” Gohmert said. “This is round one of a, you know, 12-round bout, maybe 15. So — and this is a very strategic move on the president’s part. I was visiting him...

Democrats naturally are gloating, calling it a surrender and admonishing Trump to “learn his lesson” and acknowledge his defeat by the wise and all-knowing Nancy Pelosi. This certainly gives them a sugar high while providing evidence for future use that their priority is humiliating Trump rather than attending to the needs of border security. Nonetheless, as President Trump correctly noted in the Rose Garden address, it was an “agreement.” The Dems agreed to procedural rules that can be used to make the case for border barrier construction. The deal will be hashed out in the conference committee, which will then...

I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!

RUSH: The media is blowing up now. There is a leak that a temporary shutdown agreement has been reached and will be announced by the president at 1 o’clock today. Let’s see, what are the…? (muttering) “Temporary… Temporarily reached … Government…” “Reopen Temporarily,” is what the headline is on Drudge. Why would that be? Why would there be a temporary reopening of the government? Doesn’t say for how long. Maybe to pay people. Maybe to see if the Democrats will come to some agreement on paying all these people that are not being paid, because there have been bills. The...

... Trump opens the government without any promise to build a border wall. Open Borders Wins! ...