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There has been a trickle of comments from Capitol Hill Republicans criticizing Speaker Mike Johnson for his steadfast refusal to cave to Democrat demands to abandon the “clean CR” the House passed and to accede to Democrat demands for more spending. And some of it is coming from surprising places.
MAGA firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said she blames Republican leaders in Congress for the government shutdown. Greene said “I’m not putting the blame on the president,” for the shutdown, adding “I’m actually putting the blame on the speaker and Leader [John] Thune in the Senate. This should not be happening.”
Echoing Democrat talking points, she remarked that Trump is “not always getting the best advice from his staff.” Greene said, “I don’t think it’s good advice that a government shutdown is going to help Republicans in the midterms . . . I also don’t think it’s good advice that Republicans ignoring the health insurance crisis is gonna be good for midterms. I actually think that would be very bad for midterms.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune told Semafor that GOP leaders are considering whether to offer Democrats a future vote on extending health care subsidies as a bid to end the deadlock on the government shutdown.
Thune said that “if there are 8 or 10 Democrats that vote to open up” in exchange for a vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, “that might be an off-ramp” to reopen the government.
Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said that senators “are in discussions” about making the offer for such a vote.
On the House side there is a bipartisan proposal that would extend Obamacare subsidies for a year. That could solve the most immediate problem but would also set up another similar cliff for next year, right before the midterm election.
Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., who supports that legislation, said it’s “got a more realistic prospect of passing than what [Democrats are] proposing,” which includes a permanent extension of the subsidies.
Rep. Ken Calvert, the House Republican in charge of defense funding, is throwing his weight behind a bipartisan bill that would allow members of the military to get paid during the government shutdown.
It’s something of an act of defiance against GOP leaders who are now intimating they won’t allow a vote on such a measure, arguing it’s Democrats who are holding troop pay hostage by blocking passage of a clean stopgap spending bill in the Senate that includes the servicemember salaries, observed POLITICO’s Benjamin Guggenheim and Meredith Lee Hill.
The legislation, which was introduced by Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) in mid-September but has been steadily picking up steam since the shutdown began Oct. 1.
However, White House officials are considering a variety of options for President Donald Trump to shift funds around to pay troops without congressional action, if needed, as POLITICO first reported.
Trump, according to White House officials, will not allow the troop pay to lapse, even if Congress fails to act.
Conservatives are adamantly opposed to the extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies at the heart of the shutdown debate, and GOP leaders say they won’t negotiate on the issue until the government is reopened.
“I think Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries are fighting a losing battle. I think they should get the government open and get back to work,” New York Republican Claudia Tenney said.
To his credit, Speaker Mike Johnson is hanging tough and says he isn't planning on calling his chamber back to Washington, until Democrats are willing to help Republicans fund the government.
The Capitol Switchboard is (202-224-3121), we urge CHQ readers and friends to call the Senators and Representative TODAY to urge them to hold the line against any increase in spending. Tell your Representative and Senators you are opposed to Democrat demands to fund Medicare and Medicaid for illegal aliens. Tell them that a vote in favor of a clean Continuing Resolution to fund the government through November 21 while the final budget is negotiated is your minimum expectation.
George Rasley is editor of Richard Viguerie's ConservativeHQ.com and is a veteran of over 300 political campaigns. A member of American MENSA, he served on the staff of Vice President Dan Quayle, as Director of Policy and Communication for former Congressman Adam Putnam (FL-12) then Vice Chairman of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee's Subcommittee on National Security and Foreign Affairs, and as spokesman for retired Rep. Mac Thornberry formerly a member of the House Intelligence Committee and Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
- government shutdown
- healthcare
- Big Beautiful Bill Act
- Trump administration
- budget reconciliation
- US economy
- Democrat favorability
- healthcare for illegal aliens
- national debt
- congressional office
- premium tax credits
- Affordable Care Act
- DACA
- Obamacare
- American Rescue Plan
- waste, fraud and abuse
- filibuster
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