>@PunchbowlNews AM: The Congress Biden wants vs. the one he has
In the Congress Biden wants -- and the Congress he campaigned on during the presidential race -- Rs and Ds work together to notch big legislative priorities. They meet constantly, and hash out big deals.
@PunchbowlNews In the Congress Biden actually has, Republicans will stand pat against the $1.9-trillion package after a few perfunctory meetings and conversations.
@PunchbowlNews In the Congress Joe Biden wants, you nominate a candidate for a post and the Senate considers them on the merits. You talk to senators, and you expect a logical result.
@PunchbowlNews In the Congress Biden has, Neera Tanden flailed for weeks while the White House extolled her virtues and experience. The administration set up calls with Republicans, looking to make the case, to no avail.
@PunchbowlNews The Congress Biden wants is going to collide with the Congress he has again in the latter half of this week when Senate Ds try to yank the Covid package back toward the middle. Progressives & moderates are clashing over unemployment insurance and repurposing some of the spending.
@PunchbowlNews It’s important to keep in mind that the Congress Biden has looks like this: A razor-thin majority in the House, a 50-50 Senate with Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema -- free agents who don’t always line up with Democrats. But that’s the hand Democrats were dealt.
@PunchbowlNews When presidents spend too much time governing with the Congress they want instead of recognizing the Congress they have, they end up wasting time and precious political capital.
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“Get rid of them all.” Trump on a whole bunch of House and Senate Rs
We’ve been waiting for this moment because it gives us the opportunity to write about the challenges of this approach for Trump and for D.C. Republicans.
@PunchbowlNews For Trump: The principal question we have here is whether Trump is going to have the infrastructure and, more importantly, the sustained interest in launching and facilitating primary challenges against these Republicans.
@PunchbowlNews That would include endorsing & most likely clearing the field for candidates in various congressional districts across the country. Saying you want to get rid of Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) is one thing. But ensuring that Cheney or any candidate faces just 1 challenger is critical
In @PunchbowlNews AM this morning: We have some new reporting on Republicans’ position on earmarks. This is huge news for DC.
— @LeaderMcConnell said he’ll defer to @SenShelby, which means earmarking will almost certainly be starting again for Senate Rs.
But now for House Rs...
@PunchbowlNews@LeaderMcConnell@SenShelby 1) This House Republican minority isn’t like the Tea Party fueled group of a decade ago. Instead, they’re inspired by former President Donald Trump, who had no problem spending vast piles of federal money. Bringing back earmarks doesn’t seem like a huge ideological hurdle now.
@PunchbowlNews@LeaderMcConnell@SenShelby 2) Democrats are going to request earmarks. If Republicans don’t, they’ll be at a substantive and political disadvantage, they say.
The Republican Party has had some low points in the last two decades: The Mark Foley scandal, the Jack Abramoff mess, the nightmare in Iraq, losing their House majority in 2006, followed by the historic beatdown of 2008.
But we’re going to make the case this morning that the Republican Party is more adrift than it has been at nearly any point since Watergate.
Here’s why:
1) There’s plenty that Republicans could be hitting Democrats about these days. Democrats have a razor-thin House majority following their disastrous showing in November, and there’s a good chance they’ll be in the minority by next Congress;
Big news everyone: Legislating is about to happen again. Congress comes back from recess, and President Joe Biden’s legislative agenda is about to face a crucial few weeks.
The $1.9-trillion Covid relief package is expected on the House floor this week. In order to stay on track, Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s House needs to get it through the chamber quickly. The House Budget Committee takes it up today. The bill will get a full House vote later in the wk
We bet the vote is Saturday because it’s Congress and 2021.
We live in a society filled with politicians who make a range of really questionable decisions on a somewhat regular basis. We all watch career public servants act foolishly.
@PunchbowlNews In fact, it’s our job to document them and put their behavior in the larger context of clownery in our political system. We see so much stupid behavior that it takes a lot to surprise us.
@PunchbowlNews But this week, irrationality and silliness have reached new heights. It’s been the week for politicians to engage in a stunning level of self immolation.
Here’s a challenge: Make the argument that Donald Trump had nothing to do with the riot at the Capitol after the first few days of the impeachment trial.
@PunchbowlNews It’s damn tough.
The Democratic impeachment managers did something Wednesday that desperately needed to be done: They laid out in a thorough, comprehensive and digestible manner what Trump said and did in the months and days leading up to the bloody Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.
@PunchbowlNews They covered all aspects of Trump’s shocking behavior -- his provocative tweets, TV interviews and speeches claiming the election was being stolen; his months-long campaign to undermine the American public’s faith in the election results;