this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2025
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politics

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Summary

The Republican Senate passed a $340 billion budget blueprint aimed at funding President Trump’s priorities, including $175 billion for border enforcement and $150 billion for military expansion, following an extended vote.

The resolution, adopted 52-48, directs committees to identify spending cuts to offset new funding.

It faces debate over its fiscal impact and amendments addressing cuts to Medicaid and tax policies.

The measure now pressures the GOP House to reconcile differences or adopt a fallback plan.

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 1 day ago (6 children)

This is only the beginning, though. This budget resolution is really just a planning tool, and doesn't mean anything without further action by both houses of Congress. Democrats did what they could in this round, offering specific amendments they knew Republicans would vote down, just to point out where Republicans priorities really lie. It is performative, and only really exists to give Democrats in the next election the ability to run commercials that say "My opponent voted against this thing". But in a close election, that may matter.

And please understand that Republicans have the majority in both houses, and can get anything passed that they can all agree on. (Yes, there is a Filibuster in the Senate, but there are ways around it for budget bills). Democrats may decide to be a permanent "no" vote on all this, and force Republicans to stick together. But be prepared for the fact it may not matter.

[–] Voroxpete 4 points 1 day ago (5 children)

Anyone believing there will be any more free and fair elections in the US isn't paying attention.

It took less than 100 days for Hitler to consolidate power, and Trump is following the exact same playbook.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago (2 children)

I've posted on this recently, but a key difference between the US and other countries is that elections here are run by the individual States, with some Federal oversight. In most states, there is a Secretary of State who is in charge of local elections, and is separately elected from other statewide posts. Furthermore, the actual administration of elections is done at the county or city level, by a local election board.

So, the new Fascists are limited in what they can do unless they pull off a widespread election takeover in enough localities to matter. Could they do that? Of course they could. But at least it's a lot harder than it is in other, smaller countries, where the central national government plays a more direct role in elections.

[–] Voroxpete 3 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Trust me, I really, really hope you're right. But please understand that these new fascists have spent a lot of time thinking about these problems and how they're going to solve them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

Well yeah, they have a plan, it relies on a pliant Supreme Court who will do what they're told when Trump oversteps his authority. That is not guaranteed. Those justices have that job for as long as they want it, no matter how they rule. And unlike Congress, they won't cede their own power to the President just because he asks.

Here's a Constitutional Crisis for you: Trump attempts to postpone the midterms because of a made up emergency, several States sue, the SC rules against Trump. Then Trump's J6 buddies start attacking the Liberal justices directly, maybe even offing one, and Trump pardons them immediately. Will that be enough to get Republicans in Congress to snap to their senses, or will they continue to let him grab them by the pussy and promptly appoint Matt Gaetz (or Sergey Lavrov) as the next SC Justice?

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