Supposedly, Republicans Considering Shutting the Government Down Unless Funds for Vaccine Mandates Stripped Out of Budget

Yeah I don't believe this. The GOP is useless. I don't even know why I'm linking this.

Several Republicans are considering shutting down the government if the next funding bill includes money for federal COVID-19 vaccine mandates.

Fox News Digital exclusively obtained a letter signed by a growing number of Republicans, led by Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, pledging to pull support from government funding legislation that includes language giving funds for vaccine mandates.

The current funding for the federal government will expire mid-February, meaning Congress will have to pass a continuing resolution or appropriations legislation to keep the lights on.

Good for Chip Roy and his band of doughty* fighters, but we all know the GOP is nothing but a favor bank for mega-business.

The 2022 agenda for House Republicans may be out of touch with the current political moment, but at least they can say they're trying. Over on the other side of the Capitol, Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the leader of the Senate's Republican conference, has announced he's not even putting out an agenda for 2022.

According to reporting by Axios last month, McConnell told a room full of donors, lobbyists, and in-cycle senators that he would not be putting forward an agenda outlining the priorities for his conference should Senate Republicans regain a majority in 2022. When asked by CNN last week what the GOP agenda would be in a potential majority, McConnell responded, "That is a very good question and I'll let you know when we take it back." He went on, "This midterm election will be a report card on the performance of this entire Democratic government, the president, the House, and the Senate."

In other words, McConnell and GOP senators seem prepared to run solely on a platform detailing how bad the other guy is, and that scrupulously and intentionally avoids discussing what they intend to do about it.

As Rachel Bovard concedes, it is standard advice to not get in the way when your opponent is busy setting himself on fire.

But on the other hand: if you never tell voters what you're going to do, you have no mandate if you do win. So you do nothing.

Which is Mitch McConnell's eternal plan.

As more voters turn to Republicans in desperate hope they'll make the beatings stop, Republicans have to commit to doing it. Simply promising to defend the status quo won't cut it this time, particularly for new voters who have no long-held attachment to the party.

The multi-directional onslaught unleashed on voters by Democrats, public health tyrants, and the corporate sector requires a bold and kinetic response from Republicans.

Indeed.

I don't often quote the Joker, but Mitch McConnell is like someone who is always defending "The Plan," never stepping back to notice that The Plan... is horrifying.

Or perhaps he does notice that. Perhaps he just supports it.

* Not "doughy." That's the NeverTrumpers.

posted by Ace at 03:06 PM

| Access Comments