The imminent Omnibus package hurtling toward passage in the U.S. Senate shows how bad it’s gotten in Washington, D.C. The latest spending package defines the Swamp, and shows how it has overwhelmed every facet of public life and federal funding in every way. Sen. John Kennedy slammed it as a “big whiz” on the leg of American taxpayers. The Freedom Caucus issued a resounding “NO!” against this bill as soon as it went public. Congressmen David Brat and Mark Meadows both urged President Trump to veto the bill. Their fellow Freedom Caucuser Justin Amash exposed how these legislative shenanigans erode American voters’ confidence in the federal government—if they ever had any. Even my own left-wing lunatic Congressman Ted Lieu voted against this Satan Sandwich.
“But there’s transparency!” Transparency doesn’t mean much when a spending bill is hoisted onto the Internet two days before the vote. It’s like two big corroded phone books stapled together, written in the many foreign languages of each lobbyist who slipped in a special statute, amendment, and by-line. Not exactly Reader’s Digest. In high school civics, I learned about this kind of legislation: “Christmas Tree” bills. Why the merry title? Lawmakers throw in amendments to get pet projects passed for their districts. They end up decorating the legislation, so to speak, where every special interest gets their favorite colored ornament pet project financed. The whole process turns into a Blue, Blue Christmas for We the People, however. Instead of singing “Ho Ho Ho!,” we get deluged with red ink, record-breaking trillion dollar deficits, the MAGA Agenda gets no funding priorities, and everything that we want defunded—gets funded.
Oh, and did I mention that we’re paying for it? Someone tell me if I should tip the Little Drummer Boy, too.
President Trump signaled on Twitter that he will sign off on this legislation because it funds our military and armed forces. I am all for paying our military adequately. They put their lives on the line and ensure that the federal government fulfills its duty. Yet the last continuing resolution busted the budget caps on the sequester. I guess the Pentagon needs to buy another warehouse of $400 hammers. The president has deftly dealt with engineering and manufacturing firms to lower the costs for new planes, trains, and automobiles. Now he’s prepared to blow all the savings on this budget busting Omnibus. Let’s face it: When Democrats want to spend more money than our coffers allow, they say “It’s for the children.” Republicans simply say: “It’s for the soldiers” or the veterans.
Our armed professionals take up arms against enemies foreign and domestic, but they shouldn’t be expected to defend an irresponsible Congress or a dead-beat treasury.
Someone should explain to me how funding the military also requires funding Planned Murderhood, too. President Trump hosted another roundtable with lawmakers and law enforcement leaders about sanctuary cities. The Omnibus continues the flow of federal grants to those outlaw jurisdictions. Hey Mr. President, Los Alamitos just rebuffed California’s nullification effort through sanctuary state SB 54. How about helping us out for a change?
Oh, and it gets worse: no big beautiful wall along the Southern Border, all based on that intense and repeated campaign promise which the president had stressed in primary and general election debates. Yes, there will be $1.6 billion earmarked for border security, including 100 miles of fencing. Last time I checked, the walls around my home cover every inch of my surroundings. A wall with a big section of open space is misplaced modern art and doesn’t protect anyone. Sure, there’s lots of money going to fight opioid addiction. But President Trump explained during his stirring State of the Union address that the best way to stop the flow of drugs into the country was to (wait for it): Build the Wall!
Here’s the worst of the “No Wall” provision: Cryin’ Chuck Schumer gets big funding for tunnels and gateways between New Jersey and New York. Hey, let’s at least make it easier for MS-13 to commute from one borough to the next while shooting up the neighborhood, right?
What else does this Crap-Omnibus do? The Omnibus expands background checks for gun purchasers. Republicans have been working hard to make this happen, and everyone in the country will just have to open their wallets wide up and pay the cost while losing their rights little by little. As expected, the feds will expand the regulatory measures, but will not enact national reciprocity for concealed-carry permit holders. Someone tell me how this is a win, or how this legislation moves American priorities.
As of this writing, I can only hope that enough people across the country will get mad enough and barrage their senators to stop this Omnibus. The House passed it already, despite pleadings from the extremes. If the “Freedom Caucus” of the Senate—Cruz, Rand, Mike Lee, etc.—shows some muscle and teams up with the Tea Party of the Left- Kamala Harris, Cory Booker, every Democrat running for re-election in a blue state or who is running against President Trump in 2020—maybe, just maybe, we can stop this crazy omnibus and push for another continuing resolution.
If Congress is going to spend like Drunken Santas blowing away our Christmas Eve checks, Republicans shouldn’t be surprised if they get wiped out in the 2018 congressional elections. Then again, with Omnibuses like these, who needs Democrats? At least the braying jackasses along the coastline and in the inner cities have never shied away from their commitment to spend money we don’t have to please friends who hate us.
Come on, President Trump. Art of the Deal this is not. Say “NO!” to the Omnibus.