It is pure bipartisan politics for both parties to make each others’ lives as majorities in Congress as difficult as possible especially when it comes to continuing resolutions to increase debt ceilings. Every American who pays any attention to political news knows that the biannual or annual run-ups to these dates – at which the country would run out of money, are packed with edge of the seat bullsh*t, something that a truly mature and moderate democracy would do all it could to avoid. If the U.S. does default on its debt – a real possibility with a House of Representatives that is 50-50 and an incoming president who refuses to compromise, it could destabilize the world’s economy and thus, well – the world. We shouldn’t be playing games with it and yet, we do, over and over. Now, however, Trump is putting Mike Johnson’s speakership on the line, all premised on Johnson holding back any compromise on the debt ceiling.
Donald Trump has been signaling that he expects Mike Johnson to somehow deliver the perfect deal, when a perfect deal doesn’t exist. This is the nature of “edge of your seat” brinksmanship. But that’s where we are. As Rawstory reports, Trump is tweeting away, putting Johnson’s political life at risk – if he were to come to some sort of compromise:
“Anybody that supports a bill that doesn’t take care of the Democrat quicksand known as the debt ceiling should be primaried and disposed of as quickly as possible.”
So there is that. Do this job, and do it as I tell you how to do it (And, no – I don’t care if it is impossible) or face a primary, or worse – death by tweet. But Trump let Johnson know that Johnson would be fine… So long as a miracle occurs.
“If the speaker acts decisively, and tough, and gets rid of all of the traps being set by the Democrats, which will economically and, in other ways, destroy our country, he will easily remain speaker.
The problem, of course, is that it is all but impossible to even get all the Republicans on the same page, never mind the requisite number of Democrats. Moreover, until January 3rd, the Democrats still have a majority in the Senate. And yet the date looms now. Trump wants the Republicans to know that he will hold them responsible for any sort of ill-conceived compromise:
“Sounds like the ridiculous and extraordinarily expensive Continuing Resolution, PLUS, is dying fast, but can anyone imagine passing it without either terminating, or extending, the Debt Ceiling guillotine coming up in June?”
Leader Jeffries, of course, is pointing out that Elon Musk is up to no good here, having been the one counseling Trump on this “all or nothing” position, just days before Christmas. A no vote on this would include a failure to pay government workers, this includes the military. To be sure, Democrats are also playing political games – but that is what is expected on these edge of your seat things. Republicans knew this was coming. Someone, somewhere, has to find some sort of middle ground.
Democrats are quick to point out that they are merely doing their jobs in putting in conditions that might win over their vote but it is ultimately up to Republicans to get their House in order so to speak. Meanwhile, Trump is not talking about compromising on anything, in his typical all-or-nothing manner:
“Unless the Democrats terminate or substantially extend Debt Ceiling now, I will fight ‘till the end. This is a nasty TRAP set in place by the Radical Left Democrats! They are looking to embarrass us in June when it comes up for a Vote. The people that extended it, from September 28th to June 1st, should be ashamed of themselves. It was political malpractice!”
It may be nasty, or it may be a trap, or a nasty trap, but it’s not like it’s not expected from either side in situations like these. If both parties could work in good faith with each other, they would.
Meanwhile, Johnson finds himself in the unenviable position of having to deliver a result that could only be had if the Republicans got to dictate terms – and he’s not in that position. It leaves him and Republicans open to further attack and a public that will blame them, fair or not. Democrats do have a responsibility to, well – be responsible. If there is a mid-way point that helps secure a compromise, they best damn well find a way to get there. No – don’t compromise their beliefs, but be prepared to set 50% aside for the world’s betterment.
It is Johnson who, personally, takes on a lot of risk in this scenario. It is hard to escape the sense that Donald Trump – very used to dictating his own demands in business and government, simply doesn’t understand how legislation works in a government the Founders built specifically to mandate compromise. We will see how Trump does. It is hard to see how Johnson survives all this as Speaker.
He had a thankless job and he knew that. Enjoying the Army-Navy game, or a ride on Trump Force One was probably pretty cool. One hopes that it will be a highlight. Because nothing in this job, now – trying to steer the country through a debt morass while also keeping his caucus, and Trump happy, will be fun, or even possible, perhaps even politically fatal. That is the job nowadays for team Red.
God Bless:Â I can be reached at [email protected] and on X at @JasonMiciak, and now follow on Bluesky – the new “better place.”
I don’t know why any of these GOP Congresscritters are worrying the least bit about “being primaried” since that’s still a good solid two years down the road. There is PLENTY of time to kowtow to Trump (and Musk–the Democrats really need to remind folks that Elon Musk is NOT an elected official and he shouldn’t be allowed to have any more say in Congressional business than any other *private citizen*) between now and then.
Of course, that “reminder” would depend entirely on said Democrats getting a chance to be on the national media and being able to make their point without having someone from “the other side” being there for “balance” or having a truly neutral, unbiased host (instead of the talking heads that are so willing to provide the right-wing’s talking points with little to no criticism).