By Rich Kozlovich, Here are Part I, and Part II
There was all this talk from Trump about his Big Beautiful Bill, and there was good stuff there but there was no provisions to cut spending overall. We're heading into a vortex of debt closing in on $40 trillion dollars. What greater threat can the nation existentially face? The "Republican Senate is a farce, getting little done of consequence. And to make sure the Republican controlled Senate continues down this glorious path John Thune sent the Senate home for 37 days. But he also wanted to make sure Trump couldn't do anything either by scheduling '11 Pro Forma Sessions to BLOCK Trump from making recess appointments". Appointments that have been stalled for months by Thune catering to the Democrats.
- John Thune Gave the Double Bird to the GOP Base Saturday Morning - Sen. John Thune and the rest of the panican GOP caucus wanted to go home. They held a really early-morning vote around 5 AM to confirm Todd Blanche as the 88th attorney general of the United States, but then moved to adjourn. There weren’t enough senators to kill the August recess. Democrats certainly won’t do it, and Thune noted 15 to 20 Republicans who’d rather let Democrats run them over when they retake the chamber at some point, kill the filibuster, and pass their extreme policies as we watch helplessly like infants. Why? Well, that’s what these Republicans do: face an open nuclear reactor and think they’ll be rewarded for their bravery when all they do is end up dead.
The Senate almost actually did do something but... never fear.... they managed to narrowly avoid doing anything before abandoning the America people. Good work boys, you can go home "proud"!
And I'm shocked, shocked that John Thune is upset Karoline Leavitt roasted him over his incompetence, as "Fox Business' Larry Kudlow said it perfectly":
The Senate GOP is bungling everything. At every turn, they crash into a wall. He tore into Sen. Steve Lankford (R-OK), by pretty much saying this caucus has no idea what they're doing. And the fish rots from the head......And now John Thune is getting uppity over being called out by the Trump White House?
Here’s the thing, John—if you don’t want to get roasted, do your job. It’s not like he’s pushing for a national reciprocity law, which would be full of hurdles. The SAVE America Act has support from 70 percent of Americans, and a slim majority is no excuse: Speaker Mike Johnson has a more unruly group, but he also has a slim majority. He was able to get three bills passed. He also managed to pass 12 appropriations bills this winter, most of which funded the government through this year. The Department of Homeland Security bill, however, caused a headache, with the agency shut down for almost 100 days. Thune opted to work with Democrats on a deal; he believed them—the worst part—and they schooled him.
And it gets worse all the time. Both he and Tom Cotton are blocking the DOJ from obtaining Brennan transcripts needed by Senate committees who are investigating Brennan's involvement in a deep state "coup to take down President Trump in 2016." Why? Who are they protecting? Nothing Thune does that seems underhanded surprises me, but Cotton has been a traditional conservative in most cases. As the bard said: "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
His unwillingness to get the SAVE act passed, including nuking the Senates filibuster tradition (which is a Senate rule, it's not a Constitutional requirement) there's a view on Thune that's growing daily: 'Do the right thing or resign': Republican congressman torches John Thune for failing to pass SAVE America Act.
There are ZERO good reasons for Thune's failure to put the SAVE America Act on the floor. This is how we get the votes: by debating it!" exclaimed U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., on X Monday. "Thune can either do the right thing or resign."
He says he doesn't have enough votes to pass the SAVE act, but those are backroom votes, if brought to the floor where Senators will have to openly take a position; a position they have to take back and explain to their constituents, he may find the votes may actually be there. He's protecting his RINO supporters who are afraid their constituents may do to them what the constituents of Senators Cronym and Tellis did to them: Send them back home where they belong.
Both Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowsky are a disgrace, as they made it clear they would not vote for Blanch as Attorney General, and Murkowsky tried to sink his confirmation. Why? You just can't make this stuff up:
I have had numerous constructive meetings with Mr. Blanche and he comes across as decent and capable. I appreciate the trip he made to learn more about Alaska, including our rural areas, and as Acting Attorney General he has made several noteworthy decisions that will benefit our state and the nation. Ultimately, however, I will oppose his nomination. The politicization—even weaponization—of the Department did not start with this administration but has accelerated during it. I take issue with the handling of the release of the Epstein files; the sweeping immunity protections granted to the President, his family, and their businesses; the statements that have been made to anti-abortion groups; and the repeated targeting of individuals ranging from former administration staff to sitting U.S. Senators.
If fear of politicization of the DOJ really is a moral concern for her, then why did she vote to confirm Obama and Biden's choices? Trump's DOJ has gone after people who've actually committed crimes. She lists "abuses" that Biden's DOJ created, not to mention the fact Biden's DOJ went after Christians who wanted the Latin mass in the Catholic Church and Christians who opposed abortion, who they called domestic terrorists. And she had no moral qualms then, right along with Susan Collins. In Collins case as we watch what's going on in Maine over the mid term election it's scary to think she may be the most sane person living in Maine.
