During this latest joust over a government spending bill, there were Republicans in the House and Senate who wanted the SAVE Act added, knowing they would never be able to get this legislation passed on its own with the current makeup of Congress.
It became a sticking point and nearly derailed the package, with Trump finally telling leadership not to attach it. Trump also made a deal with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) for a two-week stopgap funding bill for DHS.
That deal is now being cited as the deal that may kill DHS as well as bury the SAVE Act.
Trump was worried about one thing here, and that was not allowing this mini-shutdown turn into another month’s long fiasco.
So, while a group of Republicans made it clear they would not support the spending bill without the SAVE Act, Trump told Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) that he did not want it attached to the spending bill.
Trump stated, "We need to get the Government open, and I hope all Republicans and Democrats will join me in supporting this Bill, and send it to my desk WITHOUT DELAY. There can be NO CHANGES at this time."
Johnson obliged, and the bill passed even though 21 Republicans did not support it, as there were about two dozen Democrats who defied House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and voted in favor of the legislation.
House Republicans were not happy that Trump made that deal with Schumer, as they felt it cut them off at the knees in terms of leverage.
One member, who did not want to identify himself, likely for fear that Trump would unleash on him, stated, "I don’t think we have any more leverage. We just shot ourselves in the foot, and nine days later we’ll do it again."
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) was slightly more optimistic, stating, "Trump, I trust his judgment. I’m just saying my gut instinct is… they’ll use the two weeks to demagogue [DHS Secretary] Kristi Noem, they’ll use the two weeks to say how bad everything is with ICE.”
He continued, “I think they’ll take the two weeks to make unreasonable demands on dismantling ICE. That’s not going to happen."
Now, I don’t want to give the impression that Trump does not support Voter ID, because he does, but the fact of the matter is that this was likely their best chance to get it into a bill.
But the only way this is going to get passed is if the GOP ends the filibuster, as I don’t see a voter ID law passing muster in terms of getting past a reconciliation audit, but that opens a new can of worms.
If the GOP ends the filibuster and Dems win back Congress, then take back the White House, they undo everything and put rules in place that would allow them to keep power. And remember, Dems have the numbers in this country, but conservatives show up better on election day.
Thune has promised House members he would put the bill on the floor for a vote, but it won’t pass with the numbers we currently have. So, what do you think? Do we risk literally everything to get the bill passed by nuking the filibuster, then ram legislation through for the rest of the year, or do we just suck it up and keep the filibuster in place?
