Dog Catches Car

     Dog catches car, realizes he cannot drive: I don't admire Speaker Mike Johnson; he's got a tendency to smirk when he's putting the screws to political opponents that grates on me.  But I'm feeling sincerely sorry for him this morning: he put together a continuing resolution that would keep the lights on in Washington, one that didn't entirely suit him but that he -- and, he thought, his party -- could accept, and one that could even bring a few Democrats on board in the House and get through the Senate.  And then President-elect Trump and his new advisor Elon Musk pulled the rug out from under it.  Ouch!

     It's happened before -- remember the compromise deal on border issues Mr. Trump had them pull the plug on after it was all but done?  Mike Johnson soldiers on.  This time he set to work and turned out a new, slimmed-down continuing resolution he thought could still get enough votes while not displeasing the incoming administration.

     The new, slimmer CR tanked.  174 for, 235 against, 1 abstention, 5 empty seats -- and another 20 out sick, playing hooky or too hung over to show up.  38 Republicans joined 197 Democrats in voting no, in a chamber where the majority party can't give up five votes if the opposition isn't going along.  The reasons for the noes varied, but it doesn't matter: this continuing resolution is a goner and Mike Johnson has got to relight his candle and sit back down at his desk next to Bob Cratchit to put together another try.

     You can work out who's playing Scrooge yourself.  It looks like Social Security and Medicare will keep sending out checks, but if you're in the process of signing up for benefits (etc.), that could be delayed.  Air traffic controllers (and other government workers) won't get paychecks, but they're still supposed to show up for work (Uncle Sam typically makes it good later, but how would it work out for you if several paychecks in a row were held up?  Same for them).  Often the fun stuff gets shuttered -- national parks and monuments.  And, for some reason, nutritional aid programs, food for mothers with babies, has about a month to run before the larder becomes empty once the Federal government shuts down.  I guess it's real hard to hear hungry babies in the House and Senate offices, and unlike retirees, they don't vote, call or write letters.

     This was just a stopgap to keep the lights on.  Come the next Congress, the GOP's House majority will be even smaller; they'll have the Senate by a margin almost as precarious as the present Democrat (plus Independent) majority.  If they're still stuck trying to pass a continuing resolution, it's not going to be any easier.  Mr. Trump thinks he's got a mandate, winning the popular vote by less than two percent.  You can argue that one out with him, bringing in the Electoral Collage (or not) as suits you, but nobody got a mandate in Congress; they're going to have to find compromises if they want to do anything at all.

     Hey, you know who else doesn't get paid when the Feds shut down?  The Feds who work the border!  You'd think that would matter to the party that has put such an emphasis on border security.  I guess not.