Collision Course: Budget Showdown in the Land of Hypocrisy

image
Published: 24 Apr, 2017
3 min read

It is certainly a big week in the land of hypocrisy.

Tax reform, Obamacare, the border wall, and a possible government shutdown are all on the table as Congress wrestles with progress and its 17% approval rating.

Political experts note that if President Trump is able to get through the next two weeks with any semblance of achievement on those three crucial points, defeating him in 2020 will be incredibly difficult.

And, with much at stake, get ready for an overdose of alternative facts.

Get ready for Washington hypocrisy and talk of gridlock.

TAX REFORM

Will Democrats loosen the jar on tax reform?

President Trump is expected to outline massive tax reform for corporations and individuals Wednesday. At least one source in his administration cautions the entire picture won’t be presented until June. And the failure of the health care bill is complicating the timeline.

Paul Ryan has said tax reform is much more difficult to achieve without repealing Obamacare.

OBAMACARE

Will Republicans, vexed over the remaking of Obamacare, finally pass a reasonable alternative after their much-heralded failure two months ago?

IVP Donate

President Trump is pushing the House to vote on a Republican health care bill this week.

The discussion is the second effort after the first ended in an unsightly and damaging ideological rift among House Republicans. Trump would like them to pass their signature campaign promise — repealing Obamacare — before his 100th day on Friday.

And while it’s not impossible for a vote this week, the leadership isn't likely to let members vote on it unless they have a majority — 216 Republicans.

BORDER WALL

And will Trump’s border wall, one of his signature campaign promises, be sacrificed or be a centerpiece in this art of a deal?

It’s becoming clear that the inclusion of funding for the border wall, one of President Trump’s signature campaign promises, could prove quite the monkey wrench in passing a new budget.

Trump has added $3 billion to the budget for border security and the construction of the wall, as well as $30 billion more for defense spending. Democrats have made the border wall a wedge issue, and that if pressed to fund the wall, it could blow up any budget negotiations.

POWER BROKERS

If a deal isn’t struck, Dems will be doing to Trump what Republicans did to Obama -- delay, deceive, and deny any proof of progress.

In the land of hypocrisy, the only thing that matters is if the table is tilted in your favor. Power is the only game in town, and Republicans absolutely have it. Wouldn’t it be refreshing to see it absolutely doesn’t corrupt?

Let Us Vote : Sign Now!

Hating the other guy in Washington is nothing new. But what happens in Washington apparently doesn’t stay in Washington. The percentage of people who disapprove if their children marry someone from the other party has spiked from 5 percent to 40 percent in recent years. Yikes.

Independent political analyst Lara Brown noted this, "The other side is not just your opponent, but bad and evil, everyone flips positions based on who's in power."

After the most divisive election in our country’s history, one would hope Congress was listening. Huge issues are on the table and the American people want solutions. Whether you’re a Republican, Democrat, or independent, it certainly would be refreshing to see some consensus in Washington. Certainly less hypocrisy, and more accountability would be a good place to start.

You Might Also Like

Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York
Ballrooms, Ballots, and a Three-Way Fight for New York
The latest Independent Voter Podcast episode takes listeners through the messy intersections of politics, reform, and public perception. Chad and Cara open with the irony of partisan outrage over trivial issues like a White House ballroom while overlooking the deeper dysfunctions in our democracy. From California to Maine, they unpack how the very words on a ballot can tilt entire elections and how both major parties manipulate language and process to maintain power....
30 Oct, 2025
-
1 min read
California Prop 50 gets an F
Princeton Gerrymandering Project Gives California Prop 50 an 'F'
The special election for California Prop 50 wraps up November 4 and recent polling shows the odds strongly favor its passage. The measure suspends the state’s independent congressional map for a legislative gerrymander that Princeton grades as one of the worst in the nation....
30 Oct, 2025
-
3 min read
bucking party on gerrymandering
5 Politicians Bucking Their Party on Gerrymandering
Across the country, both parties are weighing whether to redraw congressional maps ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Texas, California, Missouri, North Carolina, Utah, Indiana, Colorado, Illinois, and Virginia are all in various stages of the action. Here are five politicians who have declined to support redistricting efforts promoted by their own parties....
31 Oct, 2025
-
4 min read