Still no budget for FY2025, so the Congress wants to pass another CR (Continuing Resolution).

The House came up with a ~1,547 page CR, and the Democrats and Republicans were patting themselves on their backs for all the cool additional spending they added.  In fact, there were acts included that said Trump can't investigate anyone in Congress until after the CR expires (read J6 hearing members who lied and subverted the process).  It also criminalizes revenge porn posted to the Internet.   

When Elon Musk's and Trump's teams circulated these outrageous spending issues, the Republican base threatened to primary any Republican in Congress if they vote for it. 

In response, a ~166 page CR was drafted which the Democrats refuse to vote for along with a bunch of Republicans.  Democrats will not vote for a pork-free version especially if they can blame Trump.  Funny how Trump is being blamed but Biden is still in the WH.  Trump can't veto the resolution, so the issue has nothing to do with him. at this point.  But, he is taking point for the American voters in holding their Representatives accountable if they enable the Democrats efforts to add trillions more to the debt without an actual budget.

https://thehill.com/business/budget/5045613-government-funding-deal-whats-in/

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/trump-opposes-funding-bill-pushing-government-closer-shutdown-rcna184745

Left:  What we almost got stuck with
Right:  What the Republicans propose now

Amazing that it only took a bit of sunshine to force politicians to do the right thing. 
Democrat voters need to get onboard and stop playing politics with out nation's finances

Are those chemtrails and drones in the same photo? 

So sick of paying for this crap.

Shut it down. Congress has too many holidays already.

Are those chemtrails and drones in the same photo? 

So sick of paying for this crap.

Shut it down. Congress has too many holidays already.

Oh, BTW, the CR also lifts the cost of living hold on Congressional salaries.  In effect, it will give raises for House members' base $174,000/year salaries.  Some positions get much more, e.g. speaker, etc.

I assume the hold also applies to the Senate, but I didn't want to delve into it that deeply since my blood pressure was already in the danger zone!   

Had to dig deeper ....

Although the Constitution prescribes that members of Congress set their own
compensation rate through legislation, it’s often politically unpopular for members
to vote in favor of giving themselves a raise. A law passed in 1989 sought to
make it easier, politically, by including an automatic annual cost-of-living pay raise
tied to the Employment Cost Index (and limited by the percentage base pay
increase for white-collar federal employees).

But as the Congressional Research Service explains, Congress for years has
blocked those automatic pay increases from taking effect. Indeed, the pay for
 rank-and-file members of Congress has been frozen at $174,000 a year since
2009. (Those in leadership positions earn more.)

“If Members of Congress had received every adjustment prescribed by the ECI
formula since 1992, and the statutory limitation … regarding the percentage base
pay increase for [General Schedule federal] employees remained unchanged, the
2024 salary would be $243,300,” the CRS report said. (Had the automatic cost-of-
living adjustments taken effect just since 2009, pay would now be $217,900, the
report states.)
......
As the CRS report notes, “The maximum potential January 2025 adjustment is 3.8%,
which would result in a salary of $180,600, an increase of $6,600.”

Again, some legislators don’t think they should get any raise.

Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, vowed to oppose the continuing
resolution if it included a raise for members of Congress.

“Congress should be working to raise Americans’ wages and lower their health
care costs, not sneaking new member perks into must-pass legislation behind closed
doors,” Golden said in Dec. 18 press release. “If members can’t get by on our already
generous salaries and benefits, they should find another line of work.”
......
“Members of Congress currently earn $174,000 annually — more than 90 percent of
Americans,” Golden stated. “If enacted, this CR would allow for a 2025 adjustment of
3.8 percent, which would result in a Member salary increase of $6,600.”

https://www.factcheck.org/2024/12/congress-not-proposing-to-give-themselves-40-raise/

I like what Elon and Trump are doing but this is bad timing if it was a bipartisan agreed bill.  This stuff should've been brought up earlier not at the last minute, especially since the Senate and president are still controlled by Democrats.

Things have been going well for Trump so far but this puts a stain on that.  People don't like chaos and Republicans are forecasted to lose congress in 2026.  Also removing the debt limit has its good reasons, but doesn't look good to the public.

I like what Elon and Trump are doing but this is bad timing if it was a bipartisan agreed bill.  This stuff should've been brought up earlier not at the last minute, especially since the Senate and president are still controlled by Democrats.

Things have been going well for Trump so far but this puts a stain on that.  People don't like chaos and Republicans are forecasted to lose congress in 2026.  Also removing the debt limit has its good reasons, but doesn't look good to the public.

The way these things usually work is the House Appropriations, Budget, and Ways & Means Committees will create the draft.  The committee members then work out the details and vote on the resolution. If it passes out of committee, then the Speaker will schedule a full House vote.  Until then, the actual text isn't available for review. 

According the the congressional website, the measure was introduced onto the floor of the House on 12/17/2024.  That was 3 days ago. The replacement CR was introduced yesterday, the 19th, but the text isn't online yet.

Therefore, it's not plausible to expect anyone outside of the committee process to know what's in the document  -- i.e. Elon and Trump. 

Maybe instead of saying it was Trump's bad timing, it's more accurate to blame the House for waiting to introduce the bill at the last minute.

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/10445/text?s=1&r=1&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22continuing+appropriations+2025%22%7D

https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/10515/text?s=1&r=4&q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22continuing+appropriations+2025%22%7D

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/congress-unveils-bill-avert-friday-government-shutdown-over-100b-disaster-aid

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/blog/2024/12/19/the-insufferable-1547-page-continuing-resolution-bill-was-a-massive-omnibus-of-regulatory-effort-before-trump-takes-office/

Here's the bill that was passed:

https://docs.house.gov/billsthisweek/20241216/ARA%2012.20.pdf

Government shutdown live updates:
House approves new funding bill

With a government shutdown narrowly avoided Friday night, the House
passed a funding bill which is awaiting Senate approval and President
Joe Biden's signature.

An initial bipartisan deal was tanked earlier this week by President-elect
Donald Trump and his ally, Elon Musk. Then on Thursday night, the House
failed to pass a revamped plan that included Trump's explosive demand
that the debt limit be extended.

Under the House proposal, the 118-page bill contains most of the provisions
that were put in place in the bipartisan bill that was agreed to on Wednesday.
The bill includes $100 billion for disaster aid, $30 billion for farmers and a
one-year extension of the farm bill, provisions that were under heavy debate
prior to this week's votes.

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/live-updates/government-shutdown-live-updates-gop-leaders-scramble-plan/?id=116956960

The difference between government and organized crime is that private sector gangsters actually turn a profit.

The difference between government and organized crime is that private sector gangsters actually turn a profit.

The big difference is those who pay criminal organizations get something for their money: drugs, sex, guns, cigarettes, booze, property (formerly someone else's property), and so on.  Taxes, as opposed to certain fees, don't often benefit the people paying them.

The big difference is those who pay criminal organizations get something for their money: drugs, sex, guns, cigarettes, booze, property (formerly someone else's property), and so on.  Taxes, as opposed to certain fees, don't often benefit the people paying them.

They definitely don't devalue the currency by overspending. That would be bad for business. Can't squeeze the civilians too hard because without them there is no income.