Congressional Republican leaders are launching budget talks with the White House.
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The Texas lawmaker assailed his GOP leadership, saying it “reflexively surrenders at the outset”, while complimenting Democrats for their willingness to “crawl on broken glass with a knife between their teeth” to fight for their policies.
The House and Senate this week are expected to pass a short-term funding measure that lasts until December 11, giving time for the two branches of government to negotiate a bigger legislative deal that would last at least until the end of fiscal 2016 and possibly include a “top line” number for 2017 as well.
“We’d like to settle the top line (of spending level) for both years so that next year we can have a regular appropriations process”, said McConnell at a press conference.
“The President, Speaker [John] Boehner and I spoke about getting started last week and I expect to get things started very soon”, McConnell said.
Senator Ted Cruz, who has made the religious right a cornerstone of his campiagn, wasn’t worrying about any of that: Taking the stage shortly after his presidential rival, Rubio, broke the news about Boehner, Cruz used the speaker’s resignation as a rallying cry. It is unclear whether his successor, likely Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), would be interested in participating in them.
McConnell outlined the “common sense” approach Republicans had taken this year, which resulted in passing a federal budget and advancing spending bills from committees. But with the GOP Senate majority at stake in next year’s elections and five incumbents seeking re-election from moderate states, he’s been adamant about not forcing a fight over closing the government and angering the majority of voters who oppose that tactic.
Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid says he was stunned by the news, and says Boehner did the best for his constituents and the country. “I try very hard to stay out of the presidential race”, he said. Conservative suspicion that establishment GOP leaders are too willing to give in to Democrats has already delayed passage of an interim spending bill. Earlier this month, Republican presidential contender Carly Fiorina said in New Hampshire that McConnell and Boehner “should go” if they don’t pass bills curbing illegal immigration and cutting Planned Parenthood’s federal money. “It doesn’t represent my first, second, third or 23rd choice when it comes to funding the government, but it will keep the government open through the fall”.
Both Boehner and Cantor’s demise were closely tied to a blue-collar voter insurgency connected to trade and immigration-two issues where the Republican leadership has sided with its party’s donors over its base.
House conservatives have been eager for quicker victories, one reason the threat of a shutdown will return-and could even increase-at the end of the year.
Usually, the Democratic response in a situation like this is to accuse Republicans of not caring about women’s health. “They’re pretty good at fundraising, they don’t necessarily need taxpayer dollars”.
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Meanwhile, conservatives have watched as bills such as a measure to defund President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration have been stopped by the 60-vote requirement.
