UPDATE: Central time - 9:31 AM 3/12/2025 - House passed a continuing resolution, which now goes to the Senate. The CR had sufficient Republican votes to pass, plus one Dem vote. Brietbart reports Comer has said a passed CR will be subject to DOGE "clawback."
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Because the ratchet is GOP in power, cut taxes; Dems in power let the tax cuts stand, the nation deficit spends to survive. And somewhere along the line, some genius said, "Let's impose a debt limit." Not, "Let's not do tax breaks because the government needs funding to operate." That's too sensible, fund it when you need it is simply not a GOP option. So they go gimmick, DOGE being latest along with raising yet again the debt limit rather than being fiscally responsible and raising taxes on those best able to pay more. That's just too sensible.
Well, the above is itself simplistric, but closer to truth than anything coming from the Republicans holding the executive and both houses of Congress. They are coming to Jesus soon, in having to pass a budget AND raise the debt limit, according to their fiscal genuis minds.
DON'T DO IT. THAT IS THE MESSAGE TO HOUSE DEMS. If their majority will not do their dastardly deeds, let them hang out to dry on a government shutdown.
They hold the votes to pass whatever they intend. Make them do it without a single Democrat turncoat. Make them do their dirty work by themselves.
That's the message of Digby's publishing, on Salon, back in Febuary, and still the best advice anyone in media can give to confused and reluctant types such as Schumer and Jeffries, both from the same state, where it appears clear thinking and having a spine are aspects in short supply.
Easy. Make the Republicans pass a budget resolution as sick as they will, but don't help is easy to say. And to do. Just show the courage, and assure you focus on who is to blame and be consistent now onward about who is to blame for what happens.
Digby then in Feburary wrote on the eve of the Republicans folding on their posturing and with knowledge they needed cross-aisle votes, they cut a deal to kick the can down the road to where we are now again reaching it. What she wrote, in part:
Soon, however, the Democrats are going to have a real chance to show what they are made of, and if they play this hand well, I suspect they will win back some of the respect they've lost. There is one thing left in American politics that Congress has no choice but to engage and Trump and Musk have no control over: funding the government. On that, despite their minority status, they have leverage and power because the Republicans can't agree on anything.
There are just three weeks left until the continuing resolution that was punted before Christmas runs out. And while the Senate and the House are dreaming about massive tax cuts and taking a machete to Medicaid, they apparently haven't given a thought to the fact that even with all the DOGE sturm und drang the government is about to run out of money. And as we know, Republicans in the House have a faction that will not vote for spending. They just won't. So with their tiny majority, they need Democrats to cover for their intransigence. But with Trump and Musk busily destroying the executive branch and seemingly enjoying the carnage they're creating while doing it, Democrats understand that the Republicans are going to have to deal with their people on their own this time.
Well that time, Republican leadership and Democratic leadership cut a deal. Not the best deal, but the Republicans yielded more than the Democrats did, to get a deal. This time, hang tough and force them to do their own shit, if they've the discipline.
That interjected, back to Digby -
The GOP has created the politics we are all living through and they have all the institutional tools they need to pass whatever they want to pass. Unfortunately, they are completely dysfunctional — and that dysfunction will likely result in a government shutdown. It could be a painful one but the government is already engulfed in Musk's firestorm so if the congressional Republicans get in on the act too, it's all the more clarifying. As Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Ct., the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee told the Washington Post, "Republicans control the House, the Senate and the White House. It is their responsibility to find the votes to pass the final measures." It's that simple.
There is every reason to believe right now that the Democrats are going to hang tough this time. They pretty much have to. With a 31% approval rating, they certainly don't have much to lose but they have a lot to gain as their voters see that they are refusing to go along with this MAGA trainwreck. Sometimes the best way to show leadership is to just say no, especially to bullies, thieves and thugs. The American people will thank them for it.
Well, gee. Here we are again. Same shit. This time - hang tough.
At about the same time, days before Digby writing, The Nation published:
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| click the image to enlarge and read of Dem "leaders" |
And here is an item about a real Dem leader pressing the flesh and addressing needs and policies, one not in fear of facing the people nationwide and explaining himself. And explaining his beliefs. Unlike poseurs, he has beliefs.
BOTTOM LINE: Force them - the Republican House - to bend their caucus to unity, via whip Emmer or otherwise, or blow it all one more time, and hang it up. That's it.
Don't let the bastards off the hook. Shut down the government on their watch if that is what their intransigence and stupidity has earned. HANG TOUGH THIS TIME.
Or extract something real and worthwhile, if those gentlemen will give up something real and worthwhile. Unless and until, HANG TOUGH.