More PORK Than a Bacon Buffet: Vivek Destroys Proposed Continuing Resolution Spending Bill
http://twitchy.com/amy-curtis/2024/12/18/vivek-on-cr-spending-bill-n2405395
Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) ~ I wanted to read the full 1,500+ page bill & speak with key leaders before forming an opinion. Having done that, here's my view: it's full of excessive spending, special interest giveaways & pork barrel politics. If Congress wants to get serious about government efficiency, they should VOTE NO.
Keeping the government open until March 14 will cost ~$380BN by itself, but the true cost of this omnibus CR is far greater due to new spending. Renewing the Farm Bill for an extra year: ~$130BN. Disaster relief: $100BN. Stimulus for farmers: $10BN. The Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement: $8BN. The proposal adds at least 65 cents of new spending for every dollar of continued discretionary spending.
The legislation will end up hurting many of the people it purports to help. Debt-fueled spending sprees may "feel good" today, but it's like showering cocaine on an addict: it's not compassion, it's cruelty. Farmers will see more land sold to foreign buyers when taxes inevitably rise to meet our obligations. Our children will be saddled with crippling debt. Interest payments will be the largest item in our national budget.
Congress has known about this deadline since they created it in late September. There's no reason why this couldn't have gone through the standard process, instead of being rushed to a vote right before Congressmen want to go home for the holidays. The urgency is 100% manufactured & designed to avoid serious public debate.
The bill could have easily been under 20 pages. Instead, there are dozens of unrelated policy items crammed into the 1,547 pages of this bill. There's no legitimate reason for them to be voted on as a package deal by a lame-duck Congress. 72 pages worth of “Pandemic Preparedness and Response” policy; renewal of the much-criticized "Global Engagement Center," a key player in the federal censorship state; 17 different pieces of Commerce legislation; paving the way for a new football stadium in D.C.; a pay raise for Congressmen & Senators and making them eligible for Federal Employee Health Benefits. It's indefensible to ram these measures through at the last second without debate.
We're grateful for DOGE's warm reception on Capitol Hill. Nearly everyone agrees we need a smaller & more streamlined federal government, but actions speak louder than words. This is an early test. The bill should fail.
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Continuing Resolution Contains ‘A Little Gift’ to the January 6 Committee
http://twitchy.com/brettt/2024/12/18/continuing-resolution-contains-a-little-gift-to-the-january-6-committee-n2405407
Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) ~ Speaker Johnson's 1,547-page spending monstrosity has a little gift to Pelosi's Partisan J6 Committee.
Buried way down in section 605 is a passage that would shield House members from independent investigators.
"MOTIONS TO QUASH OR MODIFY—Upon a motion made promptly by a House office or provider for a House office, a court of competent jurisdiction shall quash or modify any legal process directed to the provider for a House office if compliance with the legal process would require the disclosure of House data of the House office."
What does this mean in plain English?
If someone (like a House office or a service provider working for a House office) believes a legal request for information (such as a subpoena) would force them to disclose sensitive House data, they can quickly file a motion with a court to stop or change the request.
The court must agree to block or change the request if it would result in the disclosure of the House’s sensitive data.
In essence, this ensures House offices' data remains protected, and provides a way to challenge legal requests for that data.
This could be used to shield J6 committee members accused of deleting records and may be criminally prosecuted under the Trump administration.
Video ~ http://x.com/i/status/1869450933035250051
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'CALL THEIR BLUFF': Donald Trump and JD Vance Release Statement on Continuing Resolution
http://twitchy.com/brettt/2024/12/18/call-their-bluff-donald-trump-and-jd-vance-release-statement-on-continuing-resolution-n2405412
JD Vance (@JDVance) ~ A statement from President Donald J. Trump and Vice President-Elect JD Vance:
The most foolish and inept thing ever done by Congressional Republicans was allowing our country to hit the debt ceiling in 2025. It was a mistake and is now something that must be addressed.
Meanwhile, Congress is considering a spending bill that would give sweetheart provisions for government censors and for Liz Cheney. The bill would make it easier to hide the records of the corrupt January 6 committee—which accomplished nothing for the American people and hid security failures that happened that day. This bill would also give Congress a pay increase while many Americans are struggling this Christmas.
Increasing the debt ceiling is not great but we’d rather do it on Biden’s watch. If Democrats won’t cooperate on the debt ceiling now, what makes anyone think they would do it in June during our administration? Let’s have this debate now. And we should pass a streamlined spending bill that doesn’t give Chuck Schumer and the Democrats everything they want.
Republicans want to support our farmers, pay for disaster relief, and set our country up for success in 2025. The only way to do that is with a temporary funding bill WITHOUT DEMOCRAT GIVEAWAYS combined with an increase in the debt ceiling. Anything else is a betrayal of our country.
Republicans must GET SMART and TOUGH. If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF. It is Schumer and Biden who are holding up aid to our farmers and disaster relief.
THIS CHAOS WOULD NOT BE HAPPENING IF WE HAD A REAL PRESIDENT. WE WILL IN 32 DAYS!
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