Congressional Republicans scored a massive victory this summer when they passed President Donald Trump’s “big beautiful bill” of tax and spending cuts without a single Democratic vote. But as they return to Washington this fall after a monthlong August recess, they will have to find a way to work with Democrats — or around them — as a government shutdown looms.
The annual spending battle will dominate the September agenda, along with a possible effort by Senate Republicans to change their chamber’s rules to thwart Democratic stalling tactics on nominations. The Senate is also debating whether to move forward on legislation that would slap steep tariffs on some of Russia’s trading partners as the U.S. pressures Russian President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine.
In the House, Republicans will continue their investigations of former President Joe Biden while Speaker Mike Johnson navigates a split in his conference over whether the Trump administration should release more files in the Jeffrey Epstein investigation.
A look at what Congress will be doing as lawmakers return from the August break:
So what’s all this stuff from you about not liking Schumer then? It boggles my mind that you can hold such opposing takes at the same time. Republicans do not want a shutdown. Otherwise they would have shutdown the government since they have the votes to do it. Therefore it is leverage.
Not standing up to the fascists with the government shutdown is going to get some people killed now and then all of us killed later.
You’re doing it right now. It’s not a strawman or a false dichotomy, Democrats have one lever to pull as the minority party and it’s the government shutdown.
STOP IT. What the actual fuck is going on? Stop kissing fascist ass. The opportunity to stop these deaths was in the 2024 election. Did you think there was a way to passively resist fascism meaningfully without people dying? We either stand up and fight or don’t. Either way the fascists try to kill us now or later. There isn’t a point later when suddenly the fascists are gone without any form of meaningful, impactful, useful resistance. edit: typos
Again with the false dichotomy. I can be against allowing a shutdown and against appeasing the fascists at the same time. Those two are NOT the only options are pretending otherwise is playing into the hands of fascists and other demagogues such as Schumer.
Some ABSOLUTELY do.
Again, they’re not unanimous. The Freedumb Caucus and other factions always defect at first.
Again, tell that to the people who might survive if a third option is accomplished.
For fuck’s sake! Repeating your ridiculous false dichotomy a dozen times doesn’t make it any less false!
Nope. You’re either arguing in bad faith or not comprehending what I’m saying due to your ingrained black and white thinking.
That’s what they all say while building a strawman to fit their false dichotomy 🙄
Nope. There’s other options, if only they care to find them.
Again, right back at you. You’re being aggressively obtuse and it’s not achieving anything.
Never have, never will. I’d tell you to stop with the absurd strawman, but it’s clear that you’re neither willing to nor capable of such clarity of thought.
If they can’t do anything while in the minority, why show up to work at all? Why do we keep paying them if they’re literally powerless and thus useless?
The answer is that they’re NOT anywhere near as powerless as you and they pretend. They have ways of subverting or at least delaying the whole absurd procedure if they’re willing to.
Anyway, I’ve said what needs to be said and you’ve made it abundantly clear that you’re not going to understand it no matter how many times I repeat myself and/or rephrase things, so we’re done here. Have the day you deserve.
No you cannot and still be providing a logically consistent argument. Those positions are mutually exclusive.
There are no mechanisms in the Constitution for the minority party to enact meaningful change or to obstruct that do not involve shutting down the government.
What are the other options?
They are a tiny minority that does not include Trump.
They defect in favor of a shutdown.
What third option?
Exactly. Hence a government shutdown.
Yes. With a government shutdown.
Open your windows. You may have carbon monoxide poisoning.
You’re literally doing what you are accusing me of doing with all that nonsense I didn’t quote. Like a Republican. It’s a blatantly clear cut situation. If you have a third option to this situation speak up! Say what that third option is. That’s how it’s obvious you’re the one arguing in bad faith here or have carbon monoxide poisoning. edit: typo
If you knew a third option you could have listed it!