In a typical display of Washington dysfunction, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled what he thought would be a smooth path to avoid a government shutdown this December. Instead, the Louisiana Republican’s grand compromise turned into a masterclass in how the conservative movement can still flex its muscles in DC.

The 1,500-page spending package, loaded with what critics called “Democrat giveaways,” included everything from congressional pay raises to special protections for Liz Cheney’s anti-Trump January 6th committee.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk quickly branded it “one of the worst bills ever written,” setting the stage for what would become a conservative uprising.

From Daily Wire:
House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) spending deal to keep the government open was sunk by Republicans on Wednesday after a pressure campaign from President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk.

“Sounds like the ridiculous and extraordinarily expensive Continuing Resolution, PLUS, is dying fast, but can anyone imagine passing it without either terminating, or extending, the Debt Ceiling guillotine coming up in June?” Trump posted on social media.

Toxic Bill Ends in Defeat

By midweek was officially dead—killed by a decisive conservative revolt led by none other than President-elect Donald Trump.

The spectacular failure marked a decisive victory for fiscal conservatives and dealt another embarrassing blow to the Biden administration’s legislative agenda, which has been stumbling since Trump’s November victory.

“Sounds like the ridiculous and extraordinarily expensive Continuing Resolution, PLUS, is dying fast,” Trump declared on Truth Social, before laying out exactly why the bill deserved its fate. The former and future president didn’t mince words, warning that any Republican supporting the bloated package “should, and will, be Primaried.”

A Gift to the Radical Left

The proposed stopgap measure read like a progressive wish list: $110 billion in questionable disaster aid, taxpayer-funded pet projects, and even the controversial “Global Engagement Center.” That is a program so problematic that The Daily Wire and other conservative outlets have sued the State Department over its attempts to suppress right-leaning media.

As conservative opposition mounted throughout the day, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise confirmed what many had already suspected. When asked directly by CNN whether the deal was dead, his one-word response spoke volumes: “Yes.”

Conservatives Strike Back

The conservative victory sends a clear message about the movement’s growing strength heading into 2025. Democrats predictably melted down over the bill’s failure. The White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre resorted to tired accusations of “playing politics.”

Yet, this was a textbook example of principled conservatives standing firm against business-as-usual Washington spending.

“If Democrats threaten to shut down the government unless we give them everything they want, then CALL THEIR BLUFF,” Trump advised Republican leaders. “It is Schumer and Biden who are holding up aid to our farmers and disaster relief.”

Johnson Faces a Brutal Reality

The bill’s collapse leaves Congress scrambling to avoid a shutdown by Saturday. But unlike previous funding fights, conservatives now hold the upper hand. Trump and Musk are leading the charge for fiscal sanity.

Speaker Johnson face a stark choice: produce a clean funding bill without liberal pet projects, or take responsibility for shuttering the government. With Trump set to retake the White House in 2025, this week’s conservative victory may well mark the beginning of the end for Washington’s spend-first.

But can Johnson prove he has what it takes to lead Congress in this new age? The American taxpayer is expecting much from the so-called Trump allies in D.C.

Key Takeaways:

• Conservatives in Congress, led by Donald Trump, successfully defeated a bloated spending bill.
• Democrats attempted to hide liberal wish list items in the “must-pass” bill.
• The victory signals growing conservative strength heading into Trump’s second term.

Source: Daily Wire