For Mike Johnson it was effectively a Day 1 priority.

It’s well past time, the newly elected House speaker said in October, to establish a bipartisan commission to tackle the federal government’s growing $34.6 trillion in debt. “The consequences if we don’t act now are unbearable,” he said, echoing warnings from his predecessor and other House Republicans.

More than six months later, the proposal appears all but dead, extinguished by vocal opposition from both the right and the left.

The collapse underscores an unyielding dynamic in Washington, with lawmakers in both parties loath to consider the unpopular tradeoffs that would be necessary to stem the nation’s swelling tide of red ink — particularly in an election year. Facing the reality that any fiscal commission would almost certainly suggest that Americans pay more or get less from their government, lawmakers have time and again done what they do so well: punt the problem to the next Congress. And they seem poised to do so again.

  • @disguy_ovahea
    link
    41 month ago

    Trumplicans aren’t conservatives. There are a handful of traditional conservatives left in Congress, and they’ve been actively leaving due to the infighting of MAGA Republicans.

    • @MacAttak8
      link
      81 month ago

      This was happening way before MAGA.

      • @disguy_ovahea
        link
        21 month ago

        Conservatives comprised the majority of Republicans before 2016. Trump saw a rift in the party and tore it wide open.

        • @MacAttak8
          link
          41 month ago

          I do not disagree with what you’re saying.

          My point was that this hypocrisy about the national debt predates MAGA by like 40 years. I posted an article explaining it all. Two Santa Clause Theory.

          • @disguy_ovahea
            link
            2
            edit-2
            1 month ago

            I was only commenting on your the use of the term conservatives in place of Republicans. They’re not synonymous anymore. I completely agree with your point about the hypocrisy.

            • @MacAttak8
              link
              21 month ago

              I see what you’re saying. For what it’s worth I never used either term. That was u/originallucifer.

              You have piqued my interest though. What would you consider Republicans if they aren’t conservatives? I consider them Far right conservatives. Radical conservatives if you will.

              • @disguy_ovahea
                link
                3
                edit-2
                1 month ago

                They’re not fiscally conservative if they can’t balance a budget. Right wing or Republicans is what I use. I didn’t notice that you weren’t the initial commenter. Sorry about that. I corrected my mistake.

                • @MacAttak8
                  link
                  1
                  edit-2
                  1 month ago

                  The sad part is no Republican since Eisenhower in 1960 has had a balanced budget.

                  Clinton handed GW Bush a budget surplus in 2001 and is the last time we’ve had a balanced budget.

                  So by your definition Republicans have not been conservative in a very long time?

                  https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FYFSD

                  Edit: I initially listed LBJs 1969 surplus as the most recent Republican balanced budget due to a brain fart forgetting he was a Democratic politician.

        • @njm1314
          link
          01 month ago

          Disagree completely. Trump conservatives are just your normal conservatives who aren’t afraid to say things out loud anymore.

          • @disguy_ovahea
            link
            11 month ago

            They’d have to demonstrate fiscal responsibility to be accurately labeled as conservatives.

            • @njm1314
              link
              01 month ago

              No they don’t. That’s always been a lie they tell.