Dear Reader,
It is as certain as tomorrow’s sunrise. It is as certain as death and taxes. It is as certain as gravity itself.
Here I refer to the granite certainty that politicians — taken as a whole — are wastrels, bounders, jacklegs, jellybellies, blackguards, swindlers, grifters and rogues.
In proof thereof, I present H.R. 10445.
That is the title of the 1,547-page “continuing resolution” vomited forth Tuesday by House Speaker Johnson — a Republican.
How many horses were traded to get it through? How many backs were scratched? How many palms were slicked? How many arms were twisted?
I do not have answers at this time. Yet I have told off my minions to investigate.
Sorry, No Time to Debate!
Yet I do know that a 1,547-page bill can conceal a great deal of rascality… as high grass can conceal a snake… or a woodpile may conceal a skunk.
The thing comes in at the 11th hour as it always does. Why? The answer is clear as gin:
To drive it home without lengthy debate. To keep its fiscal atrocities dark, lost among oceans of ink.
Can you conceive of the abominations buried on page 613, page 894, page 1,007, page 1,242, page 1,414?
Who can read it all in three days?
Should the bill pass — when it passes — it will bypass a partial government closure this Saturday… and keep Washington in funds through March 14.
Vivek Gets a Taste of What He’s in for
Poor Vivek Ramaswamy. The fellow is scheduled to co-captain the oxymoronic Department of Government Efficiency.
This episode hints at the gargantuan task before him. The odds he confronts would make even the stoutest fellow quail.
I hazard the job will wear the soul straight out of him before long.
Of H.R. 10445, he said this:
- 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.
You are correct, Mr. Ramaswamy. There is no legitimate reason.
Yet there is every political reason. What politician ever got elected by slashing spending?
Something for Everyone
What fiscal atrocities lurk within these 1.547 pages, Vivek?
- 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.
And the cost?
- 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.
Elon Calls It a “Crime”
Mr. Musk will join Vivek atop the Department of Government Efficiency. This continuing resolution offers but a foretaste of the migraines he will confront.
He labels H.R. 10445 a “crime”:
- The more I learn, the more obvious it becomes that this spending bill is a crime. It even includes funding for the worst illegal censorship operation in the entire government.
Select Republican politicians likewise bristle and chafe against the fiscal criminality.
“It’s a complete monstrosity,” raged Republican Eli Crane. He added, “but that’s kind of par for the course for this town.”
Indeed it is, Representative Crane. Indeed it is.
“We’re profoundly unserious on spending,” said Republican Chip Roy, by way of simple observation.
“A Weak, Weak Man”
Here Republican Sen. Rand Paul trains his cannons directly upon Speaker Johnson’s exposed position:
“I hoped to see Speaker Johnson grow a spine, but this bill full of pork shows he is a weak, weak man.”
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley likewise rains fire upon the cowering Speaker’s head:
“Speaker Johnson… (is) willing to spend BILLIONS on Ukraine and foreign wars and every pork barrel project known to man.”
What Good Are Republicans?
I expect Democrats to spend grandly and gorgeously. Since Roosevelt II it has read the identical electoral blueprint.
Yet Republicans traditionally existed for two purposes — to reduce taxes — and to square the books.
You wished to spend money you did not have? You wish to throw open the Treasury to the public?
“No!” was the answer you could expect.
Like a sour old schoolmarm with steel in her eye and a rattan in her hand… they might not have been popular.
But you knew where they were. And you could trust them with the checkbook.
These Republicans have largely gone the route of fedoras, monocles and spats.
We Can Have Our Cake and Eat It Too
Republicans turned from their old-time fiscal religion, made their peace with Big Government… and got elected.
They labelled the old religion “root canal economics.”
Republicans instead sat at the feet of Mr. Arthur Laffer, with his famous curve.
They could spend like Democrats without touching the taxpayer.
Deficits do not matter in the new catechism.
The only surprise about this bipartisan continuing resolution?
That anyone could be surprised by this bipartisan continuing resolution.
Professional Wrestling
Republicans and Democrats might stage a splendid combat for the crowd. They appear to batten upon each other with savage and vicious blows.
Yet lean in some. Watch closer.
You will notice the combatants do not strike at the vitals. And the blood is false.
When it comes to borrowing and spending… Republicans and Democrats are twins.
Threaten to cut them off.
Their alleged warfare comes immediately to a halt… and hands of peace come extending from both sides.
This we are presently witnessing. Thus I haul both parties into the dock today.
Republicans once defended the approaches to the United States Treasury. They have since sold the pass.
And both parties have sold us all down a river…
Regards,
Brian Maher
for Freedom Financial News
