The Freedom Caucus Lines Up for a Government Shutdown
The House Freedom Caucus and its 42 members are lining up against any funding bill that includes funding for Planned Parenthood.
via RollCall
"Given the appalling revelations surrounding Planned Parenthood, we cannot in good moral conscience vote to send taxpayer money to this organization while still fulfilling our duty to represent our constituents. We must therefore oppose any spending measure that contains funding for Planned Parenthood."
Given that the president will not sign a bill that defunds Planned Parenthood, and given that such a bill probably wouldn't survive a Democratic filibuster in the Senate, this means the Freedom Caucus has effectively lined up in favor of a government shutdown.
House Republicans have barely even begun their investigation of Planned Parenthood, much less completed it, but it's not as if that matters. House Republicans have completed several investigations of Benghazi and yet we're still talking about that.
The Freedom Caucus, which includes members such as Louie Gohmert and Grand Inquisitor Trey Gowdy himself, isn't going to be swayed by any investigation or so-called "facts."
Speaker of the House John Boehner will require Democratic support to pass a temporary government funding bill before the end of the month.
I was just reminded that John Boehner actually believed he could complete the entire appropriations process this year. That is hilarious. House Republicans failed to pass several of their own bills and now they will struggle to pass a bill that will temporarily fund the government.
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Report: Rick Scott's Office Edited Results of Planned Parenthood Investigation
Phrenzi
Rick Scott is the pimple on Americas ass.
John Boehner has been trying for months now to keep his conference from pulling the pin on the grenade, but to no avail. The Rs—at least those in the House Freedom Caucus—have convinced themselves shutting down the federal government will work out better for them this time.
No objective observer believes it will, but this isn't about reality. It's about what makes the Right fringe of the Right wing of the GOP feel good about itself (and if some people get hurt in the process, too damn' bad).
Hemidemisemiquaver
"have convinced themselves shutting down the federal government will work out better for them this time."
I'm sure they are convinced it worked out well for them the last time.
They kind of have.
This past week, John Kasich told Brian Kilmeade the 1995 shutdown worked out fine because the budget got cut as a result. (Questionable history, but Kasich said it.)
And someone, I don't remember who, said the 2013 shutdown worked fine because the Rs gained congressional seats in 2014, so a 2015 shutdown wouldn't cause the Rs any problems, either. (Again, questionable history.)
I do hope reality bites these fools on their collective, but I doubt they'd learn anything from the experience.
"FACTS?!! WE DON'T NEED NO STINKIN' FACTS!!! SENTENCE FIRST, VERDICT AFTERWARDS!!! BECAUSE AMERICAN JESUS WANTS IT THIS WAY!!!"