by WorldTribune Staff, October 3, 2016
What difference has it made that Republicans held a majority in both houses of the 114th Congress?
The GOP gave Democrats all they asked for in the budget, then beat a retreat back home to run for re-election in hopes of maintaining that majority – to what end? Why to cave to Democrats in the 115th Congress, analysts say.
The Senate passed the budget continuing resolution on Sept. 28 by a vote of 72-26. Just 14 of the 54 Republicans voted no. In the House, the vote was 342-85, with only 75 Republicans voting no.
“This bill funded every major Democratic policy priority with no meaningful limitations on a single illegal, abusive, or harmful executive action taken by the president,” Daniel Horowitz wrote for Conservative Review.
“It contained no limitations or reforms to Obamacare, Planned Parenthood funding, Obama’s transgender bathroom mandate on the states, sanctuary cities, or DACA amnesty. What was particularly disturbing about this blank check is that the timing of the budget deadline coincided with two new harmful unilateral policies of the Obama administration: the giveaway of oversight over internet IP addresses to a foreign entity and a net increase in refugee admission for the new fiscal year — all on top of the existing increase in refugees from the Middle East during a time of grave homeland security concerns.”
The continuing resolution was more a reflection of President Barack Obama’s spending priorities than the Republican congressional majority’s, Horowitz said.
“It wasted $1.1 billion on Zika funding that was unnecessary and funded Planned Parenthood with those extra funds. While one expects compromise with divided government, this blank check was truly breathtaking in completely reflecting Democrat values — as if Republicans had no control over Congress.”
The $1.1 trillion continuing budget resolution “included funding for programs that were vigorously opposed by conservatives,” Mark Shiver wrote for NC Capitol Connection.
“The only positive to come out of Wednesday’s passing of a continuing budget resolution was that GOP lawmakers left town afterwards before they could do anything else. In a Congress where Republicans are in the majority in both the House and the Senate, it is liberalism and big-spending Democrats who are really in charge.”
“The party that has the majority in Congress has effectively been neutered,” Shiver wrote.
“There is no evidence of conservative leadership among the Republicans, with the exception of a few senators and House members who still remember those who sent them to Washington and why.”
End of checks and balances: Majority GOP capitulated on every major spending issue added by World Tribune on
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