Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has signed on to a scheme to fund the government that is so out there that even Republicans are alarmed.
With the government shutting down in 15 days, Johnson has said he wants to extend spending authority until Jan. 15. But on Thursday, the speaker floated a bizarre plan hatched by Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) — a “laddered CR.” The scheme, which Johnson only described obliquely, would extend government funding agency by agency for different periods of time. This could effectively create a cascade of government shutdown threats over the next few months.
Even GOP leadership aides found the plan bizarre and were alarmed Johnson mentioned it. The Senate, of course, would not go for this.
The government is likely going to shut down as long as Johnson and the House Republicans suggest that new spending cuts are attached to continued funding.
Johnson’s plan is bonkers.
Instead of one government shutdown, there could be a series of mini-shutdowns. House Republicans love this idea because it would create chaos and allow them to avoid the public backlash that comes with a full-scale government shutdown.
The bet by those who support the plan is that the public and the media are less likely to notice one agency shutting down at a time.
The current House majority has set the bar high for dumb ideas. This one could be their worst.
Speaker Johnson’s most significant current problem isn’t President Biden. The new speaker has a conference that is full public war with itself, and Republicans in the Senate are rejecting his ideas.
It has all fallen apart for MAGA Mike, and the ideas that he is embracing are sure to make things worse.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
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