A few thoughts on Mike Johnson, the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, and what the future may hold for our country.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
Scouring the internet with the question, “Who is Mike Johnson?” yielded several exciting articles from liberal and conservative publications. The liberal media called him out as part of the Trump inner circle, and he signed off on Trump’s 2020 election certification. Conservative publications had no mention of either. I therefore assume, like many Congressional Republicans, he supported the Republican President.
The Conservative Political Action Conference scored Mike Johnson’s voting record as 92% and Kevin McCarthy at 82%. However, what is not tracked is “How effective are they in advancing a conservative agenda?” One way to measure that parameter is, “How many conservative scoring bills passed that they voted for.” With this method of analyzing voting records, Johnson and McCarthy may be close to one another.
Mike Johnson was the Republican Whip (responsible for bringing party members together for the agenda and on individual legislation), was not a member of the Freedom Caucus, and did not cast a ballot in favor of Vacating the Speaker. This demonstrates that Speaker Johnson is a leader who knows how to bring individuals together, is loyal, patiently waiting for the right moment to step forward, and not negotiating away his power to gain power.
I have high hopes for Speaker Mike Johnson.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies
We have all heard the saying, “Be careful about what you wish for.” No sooner than Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies and the two hundred and nine Democrats voted to Vacate the Speaker, past Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Democrat Majority Leader Steny Hoyer were evicted from their posh offices.
I expect Hakeem Jefferies will soon pine for the days of old when Republican Leaders played a game of genteel politics while Democrat leaders played with brass knuckles.
Look for Democrats soon to be complaining of partisan (thorough) investigations. “Corruption Incorporated” in the White House, Lawlessness in the Justice Department, the Interior Department Scaring the Countryside with Green Energy, and a Defenseless Armed Services starting WWIII while House Democrats sleep with the enemy.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schummer
I expect Representative Gaetz and the other eight will soon discover their idea of acceptable legislation will not see the light of day in the Schummer's controlled Senate.
Reconciliation of House and Senate Legislation
Now, legislation from the House and Senate will be farther apart politically, and reconciling the differences will take a lot of work. Legislation that does not make it out of the joint committee dies and will not be passed into law.
However, revenue, budget, and debt-limit legislation are of particular concern. Failure to pass this legislation can lead to the Federal Government shutting down due to a lack of funding. Because of the significant impact these bills have on the Federal Government, they only have to pass both chambers of Congress with a simple majority (however, Senators do not have filibuster authority on these three types of legislation).
Over the past several decades, Congress did not pass the revenue, budget, or debt limit legislation, resulting in the Federal Government shutting down. Every time that has occurred, voters punish Republicans in the following election. That is one of the reasons Speaker McCarthy passed the forty-five-day continuing resolution legislation.
We will see if Speaker Johnson can strike a better deal with Schummer and keep the Government open.
President Biden and the Executive Branch
Expect fewer bills to reach the President’s desk in the next year. The President must respond to Congressional inaction with one executive order after another.
Presidential executive orders are considered overreach because it is considered legislating from the executive branch, which violates the Constitution. In addition, some federal agencies are legislating, executing, and judicating their regulation, bypassing all three branches of government. Executive orders and federal agency overreach are far more dangerous to the American people than Artificial intelligence, which we read so much about.
Now is the Time for the True Conservative Republicans to Make a Stand
End the fighting among themselves and unite on our behalf. It is time for Republican-Conservatives in Congress to unite against President Biden’s and his agency’s overreach. We want them to fight for our Freedom.
I appreciated Steve Cecco joining me on last week’s show to discuss why he is running for APS School District 4. Check out his website, www.CeccoForNewMexico.com. Brook Bassan is joining me on this week’s show, where we will hear why she is running for Albuquerque City Council District 4 and check her website, www.BrookBassan.com.
If you want to listen to my radio show, tune into KKOB 770 & 96.3 2:00 to 3:00 on Saturdays or listen to the show via KKOB’s podcast page at https://www.newsradiokkob.com/kkobpodcast/
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