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#punchbowlnews
A Christmas Poem
Melanie Zanona
#PunchbowlNews
The Readback
(12/21/24)
____________________
‘Twas the week before #Christmas, and all through the #House, a shutdown storm was brewing, with President-elect Donald #Trump and #ElonMusk ready to pounce.
A #CR had been negotiated between Speaker #MikeJohnson and #Democrats with care, in the hopes they could fund the government and quickly get out of there.
The lawmakers were nestled in their offices pouring through text, when #Musk suddenly began trashing the bill on #X.
Trump got in on the action, adding a new demand: “The debt ceiling must be included, or I’ll get Big Mad.”
Yet some #Republicans were unwilling to be tamed. So Trump called them out by name. “Now, Rep. Chip Roy! Now, Rep. Bob Good! On Johnson — he’ll keep his speakership if he does what he should!”
To the House floor they went, with the new CR plan of which Trump spoke. But that also quickly went up in smoke.
Leadership scrambled to come up with a plan C, as the shutdown clock ticked down rapidly.
A new idea emerged — to split up their package into three. Johnson was eager to avoid the optics of another so-called Christmas tree.
But then Republicans huddled in the Capitol basement to get on the same page. They decided to pursue a CR without the debt limit and hoped Trump wouldn’t rage.
The smell of jet fumes quickly began to spread, as visions of vacation danced through members’ heads.
Finally! The House was able to pass a bill with the help of Democrats. Then it was off to the Senate, where it also passed.
As Johnson left the building, he made a reference to his plight: “Merry Christmas to all! And to all, please no more fights.”
FINALLY showing the flip in #CA 13 #USHouseElections #Congress #HouseDemocrats .
Why this matters? Keep the U.S. House to a sliver of a Republican majority.
Per #PunchbowlNews (11/27/24):
"If Gray were to win — and it’s far from over — House Republicans would hold 220 seats to 215 for Democrats heading into the next Congress. Then factor in the resignation of former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and the looming departures of GOP Reps. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) for Trump administration posts, the margin would be down to 217-215 for several months. That’s a one-vote margin until at least early April when special elections can be held. That will be a huge challenge, to say the least, for Speaker Mike Johnson and House GOP leaders."
#Politics #USPolitics #Election2024
https://www.kcra.com/article/gray-duarte-congressional-district-13-nov-26/63026905
Mechanic The winner of this Congress? Joe Biden
“The winner of this Congress? Joe Biden
House #Republicans came into the 118th Congress with big plans.
They were going to cut taxes and spending, impeach President Joe Biden and members of his Cabinet and use their leverage to force #Democrats to accept stringent new border security and immigration policies.
In short, they were going to shake up Washington, with Biden as their main focus.
That didn’t happen.
Instead, #Biden has gotten pretty much everything he’s asked for from this #Congress without having to concede much in return.”
#punchbowlnews
https://punchbowl.news/article/joe-biden-winning-this-congress/
Biden got a lot more done in Congress than the Republicans 
“With the passage of the national security supplemental bill through the House of Representatives on Saturday, #PunchbowlNews noted today, President Joe #Biden became the winner of this #Congress.
When the #Republicans took control of the House in January 2023, they vowed to impeach Biden and members of his Cabinet, overturn the signature legislation the Democrats had passed in 2021 and 2022, and force the #Democrats to accept draconian #immigration policies.”
Vote these #Republican cult members out
“Jake Sherman and John Bresnahan of #PunchbowlNews confirmed this evening that although #MAGA Republicans have insisted the border is such a crisis that no aid to #Ukraine can pass until it is addressed, #Trump is preventing congressional action on the border because he wants to run on the issue of immigration.
Senate minority leader #MitchMcConnell (R-KY) told a closed meeting of #Senate #Republicans that “the nominee” wants to run his campaign on #Immigration, adding, “We don’t want to do anything to undermine him.” “We’re in a quandary,” #McConnell said.”
As per #JohnBresnahan, co-founder of #PunchbowlNews
« #MitchMcConnell raises doubts about whether #Senate #Republicans should move ahead with border security-Ukraine aid deal.
He told #GOP senators “The #politics of this have changed,” and noted #Trump wants to run on #immigration »
Exactly a week ago, #PunchbowlNews reported that #Republican House leaders were talking about moving the government funding debate away from spending levels—their original complaint—to border security. “[T]he vast majority of House R[epublican]s,” Sherman wrote, “would rather fight on border policy than spending.”
True to form, party leaders today began to insist that we are barreling toward a #shutdown because of President Joe #Biden’s policies on the southern border”
#mcCarthy
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/september-27-2023
Anna Palmer's is nonplussed regarding McCarthy's removal of Schiff & Swalwell from intelligence committees --just so much "partisan fighting".
But, probably no.
#PunchbowlNews #JonLemire #WayTooEarly
Its more likely that McCarthy, Greene, et al don't want the scrutiny of
#RepAdamSchiff
#RepSwalwell
as #HouseGOP undermines America's national security.
Again. McCarthy joked..JOKED.. about 'people Putin pays'. Putin most likely pays McCarthy & Greene et al.
Are We Past Peak Newsletter? - The humble email newsletter, which became a star in its own right, appears headed back to... - https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/20/business/media/newsletters-bubble.html #dispatchthe(website) #writingandwriters #newsandnewsmedia #facebookbulletin #metaplatformsinc #atlanticmonthly #stratecheryllc #axiosmediainc #punchbowlnews #newyorktimes #socialmedia #newsletters #politicothe #substackinc #thompsonben #start-ups #zestworld #nunnemily