Congress Is Giving Taxpayers A 2,000-Page, $1.4 Trillion Spending Bill For Christmas

[Formerly Once-Ler]

https://thefederalist.com/2019/12/18/congress-is-giving-taxpayers-a-2000-page-1-4-trillion-spending-bill-for-christmas/

Nothing says “happy holidays” like bilking U.S. taxpayers for trillions of dollars through a bill no one has had time to read.

In a month full of holiday traditions, Washington is in the midst of its favorite: intentionally waiting to pass major spending legislation until the very end of the year, creating a false panic, and then dumping a 2,000-page, trillion-dollar behemoth onto unsuspecting members and browbeating them into passing it.

Because nothing says “happy holidays” like bilking U.S. taxpayers for trillions of dollars through a bill no one has had time to read.

Congress used to pass individual spending bills, with amendments and multiple floor votes. But that involves a lot of work on behalf of the congressional leadership, so they’ve quietly exchanged that for these now-customary gargantuan spending bills that are written by a handful of staff, behind closed doors, heavily influenced by campaign agendas and lobbyists.

If you don’t believe me, just look at all the “good of the country” priorities that ended up in this year’s $1.4 trillion, 2,313-page congressional gift basket.

More BOHICA at link...

https://twitter.com/rachelbovard/status/1207707687540137990

Rachel Bovard @rachelbovard

For anyone who thinks the Senate is gridlocked, turn on CSPAN2 right now and watch the bipartisan cooperation occurring to collapse post-cloture time, waive all budget points of order, and pass over a trillion dollars in spending without debate or amendments.

11:02 AM · Dec 19, 2019·Twitter Web App

[LMAO]

I wish this was a Christmas “gift” we could return

[libertybele]

I wish this was a Christmas “gift” we could return

Nah ... they would certainly "re-gift" it.

[kevindavis007]

At least we are getting an Space Force out of it.

[skeeter]

I wish this was a Christmas “gift” we could return

This makes me wanna vomit. My major regret concerning Trump is he doesn’t seem to consider excess federal spending the fatal malady it is.

Not that there is anything he can effectively do about it - a president making a stand on rolling back the size of government the hill to die on will guarantee they do indeed die on that hill.

[Chosen Daughter]

And the charade about securing our border goes on.  This bill is full of delights for Nancy and Chuck.   Must be a thank you note from the Republicans for impeachment while they push this pig bill to the president.  And everyone will pretend it is pretty and put lipstick on it.

[dfwgator]

"Maybe I'll go to the movies......by myself!"

[libertybele]

Ted Cruz criticizes GOP leadership for $1.4 trillion spending package, calling it a ‘pile of trash’

WASHINGTON – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is ripping a $1.4 trillion spending package as a “piece of garbage,” criticizing his Republican leadership in the Senate for striking a deal “in the dark of the night” on legislation that had to be passed this week to avert a government shutdown.  “This pile of trash belongs in an ashtray,” he said in a six-minute video posted late Wednesday to Twitter, lighting up a cigar and then stubbing it out on the 2,300-page bill.

The GOP-run Senate on Thursday voted 71-23 to approve the part of the spending package covering domestic agencies, with Cruz and Texas Sen. John Cornyn among those voting against it. The chamber then voted 81-11 on the national security portion, with Cornyn voting yes and Cruz voting no.......

............Cruz, in a vintage rant, criticized the package for excessive spending, saying that “Christmas came early in Washington for lobbyists.” He also railed against several major policy provisions, including $1.4 billion in border wall funding that he deemed insufficient.  “How much does it come short?” he said. “Well, President Trump asked for $8.6 billion to fund the wall. Does it give $8 billion? Does it give $7 billion? Does it give 6, 5, 4, 3, 2? No, it gives $1.4 billion. It doesn’t come close to fully funding the wall.

“This is why Washington is corrupt,” he continued.............

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/12/19/ted-cruz-criticizes-gop-leadership-for-14-trillion-spending-package-calling-it-pile-of-trash/

[Chosen Daughter]

Ted Cruz criticizes GOP leadership for $1.4 trillion spending package, calling it a ‘pile of trash’

WASHINGTON – Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is ripping a $1.4 trillion spending package as a “piece of garbage,” criticizing his Republican leadership in the Senate for striking a deal “in the dark of the night” on legislation that had to be passed this week to avert a government shutdown.  “This pile of trash belongs in an ashtray,” he said in a six-minute video posted late Wednesday to Twitter, lighting up a cigar and then stubbing it out on the 2,300-page bill.

The GOP-run Senate on Thursday voted 71-23 to approve the part of the spending package covering domestic agencies, with Cruz and Texas Sen. John Cornyn among those voting against it. The chamber then voted 81-11 on the national security portion, with Cornyn voting yes and Cruz voting no.......

............Cruz, in a vintage rant, criticized the package for excessive spending, saying that “Christmas came early in Washington for lobbyists.” He also railed against several major policy provisions, including $1.4 billion in border wall funding that he deemed insufficient.  “How much does it come short?” he said. “Well, President Trump asked for $8.6 billion to fund the wall. Does it give $8 billion? Does it give $7 billion? Does it give 6, 5, 4, 3, 2? No, it gives $1.4 billion. It doesn’t come close to fully funding the wall.

“This is why Washington is corrupt,” he continued.............

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2019/12/19/ted-cruz-criticizes-gop-leadership-for-14-trillion-spending-package-calling-it-pile-of-trash/

This bill is garbage.  It is incredible!  I am actually thinking that this impeachment was a cover for this pile of dog crap.  "In the dark of night" and under the cover of the impeachment proceedings.

[Elderberry]

Houston Chronicle By Rachel Bovard December 19, 2019   

Commentary: Congress is Giving Taxpayers a 2,000-Page, $1.4 Trillion Spending Bill for Christmas

Nothing says “Happy Holidays” like bilking U.S. taxpayers for trillions of dollars through a bill that no one has had time to read.

In a month full of holiday traditions, Washington is in the midst of its favorite: intentionally waiting to pass major spending legislation until the very end of the year, creating a false panic, and then dumping a 2,000-page, trillion-dollar behemoth onto unsuspecting members and browbeating them into passing it.

Because nothing says “happy holidays” like bilking U.S. taxpayers for trillions of dollars through a bill no one has had time to read.

Congress used to pass individual spending bills, with amendments and multiple floor votes. But that involves a lot of work on behalf of the congressional leadership, so they’ve quietly exchanged that for these now-customary gargantuan spending bills that are written by a handful of staff, behind closed doors, heavily influenced by campaign agendas and lobbyists.

If you don’t believe me, just look at all the “good of the country” priorities that ended up in this year’s $1.4 trillion, 2,313-page congressional gift basket.
Fully Funding the Afghanistan War

I mention this at the outset because it comes on the heels of the Washington Post dropping a blockbuster series of articles, culled from thousands of pages of internal government documents, demonstrating that multiple administrations have willfully misled the public about the state and purpose of the Afghanistan War. They continue even now to send Americans to bleed and die there, at the cost of more than 2,000 American military lives, more than 40,000 Afghan civilian lives, and over $1 trillion. This is the kind of thing that, at one time, would have conjured breathlessly covered congressional hearings, demands for accountability, and an immediate legislative response.

But Congress has instead appeared to collectively yawn and return to its business of impeaching the president, or whatever else it does now. A friend knowledgeable in defense, and who was deployed to Afghanistan as a civilian, recently texted me the following:

More: https://texasscorecard.com/commentary/commentary-congress-is-giving-taxpayers-a-2000-page-1-4-trillion-spending-bill-for-christmas/