Tag Archive for: Congress

Speaker Johnson, The House, & Ukraine Funding

A funding package focused mainly on military assistance for Ukraine and Israel, and humanitarian aid, has been stymied in the House of Representatives since the Senate passed a bipartisan $95-billion package in February by a 70-to-29 vote. The legislation has been sitting in the House as Ukraine’s ammunition supply dwindles and the country becomes increasingly vulnerable […]

The Silent Republicans

Why are so many Republican officeholders being silent as former President Donald Trump threatens to create an autocracy, if not a dictatorship, if elected again as President? Why aren’t these Republicans calling out former President Trump for his off-the-rails and dangerous political rhetoric, and for his threats to root out “vermin” groups and create “detention […]

They Call Him “MAGA Mike”

Before Wednesday, when Rep. Mike Johnson (R-LA) was elected Speaker of the House, he was one of those “under the radar” Members of Congress. But Johnson’s influence now as Speaker is a major problem for the country and a serious threat for those who choose democracy over autocracy. Speaker Johnson is an extreme right-wing MAGA […]

Jim Jordan Is Unfit To Be Speaker Of The House

There may be no better example of how badly our national politics are polarized than the case of Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH). Jordan is anything but a leader. He is an extremist and attack dog who uses hardline pressure tactics, has no track record as a consensus builder, and has failed in his 16-year congressional career […]

The House In Chaos

In 1994, Republicans, led by Rep. Newt Gingrich, won control of the House for the first time in 40 years. Republicans have had five Speakers in the nearly three decades since. Four of the five left their positions prematurely. The Tea Party movement and the House Freedom Caucus became major factors in an ongoing disruption that has […]

Is Bipartisanship Dead?

As the country faces a potential government shutdown at the end of September, Senators appear to be working in a bipartisan way to avoid the shutdown and fund the government for this fiscal year. But, in the House, it’s a completely different story. Bipartisanship is dead. It wasn’t always like this. For decades, in working […]

The Debt Ceiling Limit & Other Obsolete Congressional Rules That Need To Change

Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note | May 18, 2023 Many congressional rules are relics of the past that need to be changed to bring Congress into the 21st century. The obvious rule that’s front and center right now is the debt ceiling limit. The Debt Ceiling Limit Why do we even have a debt ceiling limit? […]

Michel, Joscelyn, & Eisen In Salon: Jim Jordan Has Found No “Weaponization” Of Government — And No Actual Whistleblowers

As Capitol Hill investigators who have worked for both parties, Paul Michel, Tom Joscelyn, and Norm Eisen see Rep. Jim Jordan’s far-right snipe hunt as a mockery. The efforts of Rep. Jim Jordan’s (R-OH) subcommittee hunting for “whistleblowers” on the supposed “weaponization” of government have so far have been a bust, Paul Michel, Tom Joscelyn, […]

Welcome to The Insurrection: Part II

Fred Wertheimer’s Weekly Note | February 23, 2023 The Trump-led insurrection that culminated in the January 6 attack on the Capitol did not end with the certification of Joe Biden as President.  Welcome to The Insurrection: Part II. The goal is the same – ensure that former President Donald Trump or a Trump-like candidate becomes […]

Op-Ed: Jim Jordan Showed On His First Day How Unfit He Is To Lead The House Judiciary Committee

This week, House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) gaveled in the first hearing in what he promised will be a crusade against the Biden Administration: “[W]e won’t stop until we get the truth to fix the problem for the American people.” The hearing was supposedly about the “border crisis.” But, the hearing had little to do with […]