Shut it down
Congress is currently scrambling to pass a spending bill (a continuing resolution, or CR), which they need to pass by Friday at midnight to avoid a government shutdown. This episode has been marked by characteristic infighting within the Republican Party; what’s new this time around is the outsized role advisor Elon Musk has played in dictating Republican priorities.
Taking something of an Amelia Bedelia approach to legislating, Elon Musk late Tuesday night tweeted his disapproval of the literal size of the bipartisan spending deal, calling on the ouster of any lawmaker who would vote for it.
Musk then spent much of Wednesday tweeting his criticism – some factually incorrect – of the bill, frustrating even members of the Republican Party.
But, in the end, enough Republicans in Congress, and then President-elect Trump himself, came out against the bill, sinking its chances.
Democrats and anti-Trump Republicans, not always the most agile in their response to Republicans, quickly aligned on the messaging.
While some Republicans tried to blame Democrats, party leaders hurried to figure out their next steps.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump called on Congress to raise the debt ceiling, angering some Republicans. Democrats for the most part refused to play ball, letting Republicans own the mess.
By Thursday afternoon, Republicans had put together a new proposal, one that entailed both extensive spending cuts as well as a two-year suspension of the federal debt limit. Again, Democrats were quick to call out the proposed cuts to healthcare spending as well as the negative implications for national security.
However, that bill, too, failed, leaving Republicans back at square one. As of writing, Musk is once again trying to lay the blame at Democrats’ feet, while House Democrats take to the floor to deride the other side for its inability to get a bill passed.
Continued in Part 2.
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