Over recent weeks I’ve told you several times that while Democrats are shut out of power in Washington and have few means of arresting the Trump-Musk spree of criminal conduct across the executive branch, they do have two points of leverage: the need for a new “continuing resolution” by March 14th to keep the government funded, and the need to raise the debt ceiling at some point in the coming months — the exact date on that isn’t clear. At present, Republicans are on course to shut down the government on March 14th. Essentially, the Freedom Caucus is holding them hostage, demanding not the draconian budget cuts favored by most of the GOP caucus but draconian-plus cuts, the kind that they fear will get their members in swing districts defeated. So Republican leadership is coming to Democrats, hat in hand, asking for help. I’ve explained in probably a dozen posts over the last month that this is the line not just on policy and anti-constitutional actions but also a key moment in the drama of performative power between President Trump and the opposition that will have repercussions and reverberations for months and perhaps years to come. There are already plenty of signs the public is turning against Musk’s wilding spree of criminal conduct through the federal government. To put it in the vulgar and rapacious terms that are the only ones that do it justice, Donald Trump and Elon Musk have spent the last month slapping around like bitches the Constitution, federal workers, the Democrats and really the sovereignty of the American people. Democrats have this moment to decide whether they’ll not only arrest the damage but change the tone through the idiom of power.
Well, now we appear to be at the crunch moment.
Politico released a short piece this evening under the headline “Government funding deal ‘very close’ as negotiations hinge on Trump power struggle.” In other words, they’re on the verge of an agreement right now. Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) says, “we’re making good progress.” Democrats, according to Politico, want to “curb[] the president’s ability to withhold federal money.” Later the article makes clear that this is about “impoundment.” That’s kinda sorta what this is all about: whether the President can unilaterally decide to ignore the federal budget and simply not spend the money the budget says he has to spend. But in itself it certainly sounds like a thin version of the demand, which really needs to be an end to all the criminal conduct. Maybe they’re driving a harder line than this Politico article suggests. But hope is not a plan.
Republicans are coming to the Democrats hat in hand: We’re about to shut down the government. Help us prevent our extremists from doing that. Dems have to name their price. That’s presumably is, or should be, no help until the criminal conduct stops. But according to Politico, the Republicans are saying something like, “Be reasonable. Trump will never agree to that.”
Others may differ, but if I were talking to members of Congress, I’d say the only reasonable position is “no help with your problem unless and until the criminal conduct stops.” Put more specifically, Elon’s whole DOGE wilding spree through the federal government is illegal and unconstitutional. Congress is in charge of opening or shutting down departments, spending money or not spending money. The DOGE operation has to stop and then damage needs to be undone. And any deal needs to be enforceable.
Republicans control Congress and the White House. They’re writing a budget right now. If they want to close these departments they can do that, legally and constitutionally. That’s totally legitimate and their right. They won the election. But I think they know they can’t. That’s why they brought in Elon with what amounts to a Diet Sprite vigilante army to do it all illegally.
I want to keep this brief. If you want your voice to be part of this negotiation, the time to make your voice heard is tomorrow morning. It may be the last chance you have.
