Thursday, April 18, 2024
Wednesday, October 4, 2023
Wanting-it-both-ways DeSantis strikes again
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Republicans barely control one half of the legislative branch and eight of 'em decide to eat each other instead of to live to fight again in 45 days
Brilliant, just brilliant.
McCarthy removed as speaker 216-210.
The roll call vote is here.
Eight Republicans joined 208 Democrats to depose McCarthy as Speaker.
the eight Republicans who voted to oust McCarthy as Speaker included that slut Nancy Mace |
not even that Scrooge Thomas Massie voted to depose McCarthy |
Nancy Pelosi had just enough class not to vote at all |
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted for the rule advancing the debt ceiling compromise to the House floor because the compromise contains the Penny Plan and a return to regular order
The Penny Plan would be triggered in the event 12 appropriations bills are not passed by Jan. 1 annually, automatically reducing spending 1% across the board.
Ending the present bad habit of omnibus spending bills is essential to a return to good governance and represents a good reason to vote for this bill despite its shortcomings.
Massie followed through with his statement during Tuesday evening’s vote when he supported the rule. He also told reporters that he plans to vote for the bill when it comes to the floor on Wednesday after announcing it in a closed-door GOP conference meeting minutes earlier.
“It’s because it cuts spending,” Massie told The Hill Tuesday night when discussing his intent to support the bill.
“Nothing I’ve ever voted on has ever cut spending that’s passed that’s become law; this will,” he added.
During Tuesday’s Rules Committee hearing, Massie highlighted a provision in the debt limit bill that incentivizes Congress to pass 12 appropriations bills rather than relying on omnibus measures to fund the government. The provision threatens to cut government spending by one percent across the board if the measures are not approved by Jan. 1.
“There is one way in which I think this bill got better, and it is this 1 percent cut that we’re all agreeing to if we vote for this bill, Republicans and Democrat, come Jan. 1. If we haven’t done our homework, and if the Senate hasn’t done their homework, and if the president hasn’t signed those bills — so everybody is gonna be in this, responsible for the outcome,” Massie said.
The debt ceiling compromise freezes spending in the next fiscal year about $400 billion too high, and does nothing to pay for the $4.9 trillion added to the debt over and above "normal" deficit spending
The Washington Examiner, here:
In exchange for a two-year hike in the federal borrowing limit, the legislation roughly freezes next year's spending at fiscal 2023 levels, followed by a 1% increase in 2025. The legislation also imposes some changes to work requirements for food stamps and will speed the development of energy projects with permitting reform.
Fiscal outlays for 2023 are projected to hit $5.792 trillion. Adjusted for inflation since 2019 that should be more like $5.385 trillion.
Meanwhile, deficit spending since 2019 through fiscal 2023 has added, will add, $8.5 trillion to the debt, which has been the solution to, and the cause of, all our problems.
We are not governed by serious people.
We have the government we deserve.