Originally published at: A Big, Upcoming Fight Could See Dems Demand Congress Take Back Its Power
When Congress returns from its lengthy August recess, lawmakers on Capitol Hill will only have a few weeks to work something out before the government runs out of funding at midnight on Sept. 30. And Senate Democrats will quickly have to make a decision. In the upper chamber, legislation to fund the government is subject…
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The GOP never paid a political price for shutting down the government. And, in this case, Trump/GOP will own the effects of the shutdown when Trump chooses what to fund and what not to fund IF the Democrats keep shouting that that is what is happening anyway - Trump funds what he wants - so there is no purpose behind a deal.
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Shut it down till Trump follows the law.
It’s the easiest message ever, but it looks like Schumer and Co are looking to fumble the ball into the end zone again. If he can’t get it right this time, he needs to go.
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Senate Dems should do everything they can to extort a guarantee out of the GQP that the funding will be dispersed. They should block everything in their power until that guarantee is given.
But don’t be surprised if it’s Lucy with the football again and the GQP is laughing all the way to the midterms as to how ineffective the Dems are.
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“Nationalism is not to be confused with patriotism. Both words are normally used in so vague a way that any definition is liable to be challenged, but one must draw a distinction between them, since two different and even opposing ideas are involved. By ‘patriotism’ I mean devotion to a particular place and a particular way of life, which one believes to be the best in the world but has no wish to force on other people. Patriotism is of its nature defensive, both militarily and culturally. Nationalism, on the other hand, is inseparable from the desire for power. The abiding purpose of every nationalist is to secure more power and more prestige, not for himself but for the nation or other unit in which he has chosen to sink his own individuality.” ― George Orwell
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Yup, the message shut it down until Trump follows the law is how to message this. Congress and only Congress has the power of the purse.
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They don’t have to wait. Make the demand that until Trump releases existing funding that he is withholding, no negotiation on further funding will be held.
Here’s a list of just school funding he is withholding:
Here is how you setup an enforceable mechanism with this regime:
- Trump must release all funding that has been authorized by Congress immediately.
- Going forward, the GAO is designated as the entity to determine if Trump is following the law and not illegally impounding funds.
- Trump cannot fire, defund or make any other changes to the GAO without approval from Congressional Dem House and Senate leadership.
- A CR will be passed that funds the government for 4 months. If Trump follows the above rules, additional CRs will be passed adding an additional 4 months in funding.
- Failure to comply with the above means no Democratic votes for government funding.
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Schumer needs to step aside for someone willing to fight.
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You’d better stop it. Quit it, guys. Guys?
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Poison pills. Lots and lots of poison pills. Automatically defund every department and program Russ Vought likes if the administration so much as attempts to impound money for departments and programs he dislikes. Authorize public interest lawsuits brought by members of Congress to enforce Congressional spending decisions, and require that they be maintained during the pendency of the suit. Prohibit deportations and detentions for everyone except aliens convicted of felonies if any agency outside DHS is deployed in aid of immigration enforcement. Etc.
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“How can you actually make a deal if one side’s ready to do a partisan breaking of the deal through rescissions later,”
I am sad to say that with today’s Democratic leadership, I believe this is entirely possible.
“So in essence, the only parts of government that would continue are the parts of government that Russ Vought and President Trump want to continue.”
Shut it DOWN… but Chuck Schumer will most likely cave. It’s what he does.
“We’re kind of having a partial, selective shutdown of the government every day because the White House is choosing which programs they’re going to stop funding and which programs they’re going to restrict in a way that almost mirrors a shutdown,”
This is exactly why in today’s environment Republicans can NEVER be trusted.
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Add a provision to every CR and every future budget bill that requires any recission bill related to these funds is subject to filibuster.
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You figure any of the Dems will actually do any of this?
I’m not convinced. Will believe it when I see it.
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Based on that language, it could be defeated by ending the filibuster.
Instead, explicitly require a recession vote on the funding to need a supermajority (60/100) to pass.
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Schumer in Sept: We all agree that the way the GOP wants to run government is unpopular and they’re going to do it anyway thru a corrupt recision process, but rather than make them own that government by not supporting and not voting for it, we’re going to vote for a clean CR and proved the cover for the GOP so we can have mud thrown all over our face for allowing them to shut down shit anyway.
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A Big, Upcoming Fight Could See Dems Demand Congress Take Back Its Power
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Congress has spent 6 months giving away the whole store to trump. Do ya really think they’re gonna ask for their toys back from The-Toddler-In-Chief?? And do they think he will indulge in “backsies”?? Not bloody likely.
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Basing your strategy on the premise that we shouldn’t do X because Republicans will do something bad when Republicans will do something bad anyway seems a losing proposition.
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That’s the most obvious solution. If it takes 60 votes to do something it should take 60 votes to undo something. I’m actually surprised it’s not like that already. Yet, another example how our government has operated on the honor system. Then when a fasicst like tRump comes along he can exploit all the loopholes that were there all along.
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….sigh…another day in the unending clusterphuck times we live in…sigh
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