Apparently, a “Trump-endorsed” Continuing Resolution was introduced on the floor of the House of Representatives late yesterday. From the reports, it was skeletal, at least when compared to the 1500-page monstrosity that Speaker Johnson yanked before that. It funded the federal government through March, provided aid to hurricane-stricken areas, and some aid to farmers. Nothing more.
It was voted down.
Only 2 Democrats voted for that CR. That’s not too surprising, as the previous, giveaway-packed abortion was their sugarplum-laden dream bill, and they will have nothing less. But it seems that 38 Republicans voted against it, too.
I’m sure they had their reasons… just as we now have our reasons to primary them into retirement.
This is “our” “federal” “government,” folks. It started out small and restrained. But we couldn’t keep it that way. It’s absorbed the whole of American life and a huge fraction of American production, and it wants more.
Imagine a community of anarchists – maybe this one? — learning about American history since the Revolution for the very first time. Scratch that; L. Neil Smith has done the imagining for us:
They deposited a half-ounce silver disk on the counter one midnight, reached with carefully sterilized tongs through the newly widened Broach, remembering the wisdom of Poor Richard before he’d gone Federalist. They learned a great deal, none of it encouraging: the Revolution; the Whiskey Rebellion; a War of 1812?; Mexico; and, horror of horrors, a civil war-three-quarters of a million dead. Financial crises alternated with war, and no one seemed to notice the pattern. World War I; the Great Depression; World War II and the atomic bomb; Korea; Vietnam. And towering above it all, power politics: a state growing larger, more demanding every year, swallowing lives, fortunes, destroying sacred honor, screaming in its bloatedness for more, capable of any deed—no matter how corrupt and repulsive, swollen, crazed—staggering toward extinction.
This is what we have permitted. This is what we suffer. And until we resolve to make an end to it, the suffering will worsen.
Where the Hell is that planetoid?
4 comments
Skip to comment form
In short, lust for power is insatiable. In large part, it’s due to fear of vendettas. We are witnessing that fear today.
The 38 Republicans who voted against Trump’s bare bones bill are dirty, corrupt, compromised unprincipled swine loyal to themselves, China, Globohomo Inc. and their father the devil.
Here’s an idea to fix the budget crisis. I propose a Constitutional amendment as follows:
“The congress shall pass a budget by August 31st annually. Should they fail to do so the congress will be dissolved and the legislators sent home with a ban from running or holding federal office for life. Elections will be held for replacements within 30 days. The new congress will have 60 days to pass a new budget or be dissolved. The budget may not exceed two percent of GDP except in the case of war declared by Congress. In order to declare war three quarters of the states must approve a war declaration in addition to the Congress.
The 17th amendment is hereby repealed. Senators will be appointed by state legislators in accordance with the Constitution of 1787. ”
Banned for life you say; why reward failure. We cannot allow the Congress the sole power to declare war to waive the provisions in this proposal or we will have continual war as we do now.
Author
That’s not bad! It might need a little rewording, but as it stands, I like it.