"Johnson, after delivering crushing defeats to conservatives on government funding, warrantless spying on Americans, and Ukraine aid, is reportedly setting his sights on expanding earmarks.

Rep. Tom Cole (R-OK), Johnson’s handpicked choice to take over the House Appropriations Committee after Rep. Kay Granger’s (R-TX) resignation in March, wants to “unlock the possibility of more earmarks,” Politico reports.

The outlet says Cole wants to expand the use of earmarks, specifically in the massive Labor-HHS-Education funding bill — the largest non-defense funding bill — a move that could unlock hundreds of millions in earmarks. The House did not allow earmarks in the funding bill in 2023.

Cole, in making clear his opinion, said Johnson would be the decider. “Wh**ever the speaker comes back with is what I’ll be supporting,” Cole said. ....

Johnson’s move also comes during widespread speculation regarding promises he may have made to Democrats to keep him safe if he brought Ukraine funding to the floor.

With Johnson running the show, Democrats are getting all the spoils of the majority without any of the responsibility.

Johnson made history by using Democrats to pass a procedural rule to bring Ukraine aid to the floor. More Democrats supported that rule than Republicans, meaning Democrats, despite being in the minority, set the agenda of the House floor.

House Republicans banned the practice of earmarking in 2011 after the Republican Tea Party takeover. The practice had long become associated with wasteful pork barrel spending, most exemplified by Alaska’s “bridge to nowhere.”

In practice, earmarks give leadership a powerful tool to coerce skeptical lawmakers to endorse massive multi-trillion dollar spending packages. Lawmakers are incentivized to look the other way and disregard the fiscal responsibility planks of their campaign platforms when their districts get a cut of the l**t.

The Appropriations Committee has little time to craft each of the twelve funding bills for the next fiscal year, which begins October 1. Congress did not finish the current fiscal year’s bill until late March, almost six months past the original deadline.

MY COMMENT: This is what happens when you have disfunctional leadership in charge!

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2024/04/22/former-fiscal-conservative-mike-johnson-considering-scheme-to-expand-earmarks/

"Democratic governors are vetoing e******n integrity legislation passed by Republican-led state legislatures, despite allegations, investigations, and convictions of e******n f***d occurring across the U.S. Those convictions require proof "beyond a reasonable doubt" that the crime, in fact, occurred.

Over the last few months, Democratic governors in Arizona, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have vetoed legislation that Republican-led state legislatures passed to help secure e******ns, arguing that their concerns are unfounded or their solutions unnecessary. However, there has been recent e******n f***d investigations and convictions in those states that led to the passing of the legislation.

MY COMMENT: You can read the specific details at the link below. The actions of these Democratic Governors show that they are willing to use all means possible, legal and "ILLEGAL" in order to win and retain power.

https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/e******ns/democratic-governors-veto-gop-e******n-integrity-bills-despite-e******n

Yet, if you believe this poll (I do not), this race is within a 1 point margin! What does that say either about the poll, or about the American public?

https://www.thepublica.com/sheetz-convenience-stores-accused-of-discriminating-against-minority-job-applicants-by-refusing-to-consider-applicants-with-criminal-record/

On April 18, the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced that it had filed a lawsuit against Sheetz Inc., accusing the 24/7 convenience store chain of having discriminatory hiring practices that targeted minority applicants.

As a result, the EEOC is accusing Sheetz of “disproportionately screening out Black, Native American/Alaska Native and multiracial applicants.”

This is despite the fact that the lawsuit does not allege that Sheetz’s hiring practices were motivated by race.

According to the EEOC press release, Sheetz’s hiring practices violate Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of race, sex, religion and national origin. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, Northern Division, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.

“Federal law mandates that employment practices causing a disparate impact because of race or other protected classifications must be shown by the employer to be necessary to ensure the safe and efficient performance of the particular jobs at issue,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Debra M. Lawrence.

“Even when such necessity is proven, the practice remains unlawful if there is an alternative practice available that is comparably effective in achieving the employer’s goals but causes less discriminatory effect.” MY COMMENT: Such as what?????

We give Elon Musk the last word...

You know The Joker is running things when the law-abiding are being prosecuted by the government for not hiring criminals!

You say "If they insist removing Ukraine, democrats won't sign any bill, and that is even worse and many other bills to present are in jeopardy." Fine by me.

The Biden administration's foreign policy failures continue to mount.

"The administration's announcement Friday about the withdrawal came two days after Florida Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz announced on the House floor that his office composed an interim whistleblower report about what he called a "cover-up" that "exists to conceal the humiliating failures of the Biden administration in Niger, throughout Africa and throughout the world."

He said that the Biden administration left 1,100 U.S. troops "functionally stranded" in Niger, where they have been "pleading for help," as they have been unable to receive potable water, medical care and other basic supplies. However, the U.S. Embassy in Niger has been blocking reports about the dire conditions, Gaetz also said.

Despite this reported lack of basic supplies and military activities at the base, operations there still cost U.S. taxpayers $1 million a month, per the Gaetz report."

https://justthenews.com/government/security/biden-removes-1000-military-personnel-niger-country-turns-toward-russia

"There were 101 Republicans who supported Ukrainian aid while 112 Republicans opposed the expensive package. Even though the majority of House Republicans dissented, Johnson ensured its passage. Resisting the will of most of his Republican colleagues, and millions of GOP activists nationwide, has become a hallmark of Johnson’s tenure as House Speaker."

It will be telling if the effort to remove Johnson as House Speaker by conservative Republicans fails because he is saved by Democratic v**es.

https://thelibertydaily.com/meet-new-boss-mike-johnson-same-as-old/

Just one more nail in the coffin for Mike Johnson!

https://rumble.com/v4qsb8c-mike-johnsons-foreign-aid-betrayal-is-worse-than-we-thought-with-6b-going-t.html

Pretty d********g to see and believe that this situation would be allowed to exist in any city, let alone a major city in the US. Failed leadership seems to be in vogue these days.

https://rumble.com/v4qsbp2-harm-reduction-encampment-in-the-united-states-looks-like-a-scene-out-of-a-.html

I strongly disagree Radiance. Our country has a $34.5 Trillion national debt, and we are wasting US taxpayer dollars funding a war in Ukraine that is already lost, whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

Speaker Johnson has enabled one continuing resolution after another. The promised separate funding bills, forget it, not done. He has failed to use his budget leverage on reinstalling Trump's border decisions with the Biden administration, and or holding out for forcing a senate v**e on H. R. 2 - Secure the Border Act of 2023 . Johnson's capitulation on Section 702 of the FISA expanding the provisions for warrantless searches on the American public makes a mockery of the 4th amendment.

Saying that he does not have a large enough majority is a cop out. Sure it it tough with the RINO's that are in place. But dealing with these type of issues is what a strong leader does. Johnson's actions to date as House Speaker are no different than having a Democrat as House Speaker.

I believe that the American public is s**k of the status quo. If parts of the government needs to be shut down because there is insufficient v**es on an issue such as border reform or spending, so be it. Let the American public make the decision on who is responsible for shutting down the government, and v**e in new faces to get the job done.

NEW: Senate passes bill renewing key FISA surveillance power moments after it expires
The v**e is 60-34.
Goes to Biden.
The chamber defeated a series of bipartisan amendments to expand civil liberties and privacy safeguards.

— Sahil Kapur (@sahilkapur) April 20, 2024

As one can see, the 30 “Republicans” who v**ed for H.R. 7888 were: Barrasso, Boozman, Britt, Budd, Cassidy, Collins, Cornyn, Cotton, Crapo, Ernst, Fischer, Graham, Grassley, Hyde-Smith, Kennedy, Lankford, McConnell, Moran, Mullin, Murkowski, Ricketts, Risch, Romney, Rounds, Rubio, Sullivan, Thune, Tillis, Wicker, and Young.

Before the final v**e, the Senate defeated six amendments attempting to expand civil liberties in the process. This included an amendment offered by Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) requiring the federal government to obtain a warrant from the FISA Court before spying on Americans’ private communications, which failed 42-50.

42-50: Senate defeated Sen. Durbin’s (D-IL) amendment to the FISA bill requiring the gov't to obtain a warrant from the FISA Court (FISC) before reviewing the contents of Americans' private communications.A similar amdt by Rep. Biggs (R-AZ) failed in the House on 212-212 tie v**e.
— Craig Caplan (@CraigCaplan) April 20, 2024

A similar bill failed in the House by a 212-212 v**e.



Congress gives itself a carve-out in the reauthorization of FISA 702 warrantless spying on Americans.

The bill requires the FBI to notify and seek consent from Congress before violating the privacy of Congressmen.

This will persuade many members of Congress to v**e yes. pic.twitter.com/usKVeNnq3b

— Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) April 9, 2024


https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/04/just-senate-passes-bill-renew-fisa-warrantless-spy/

Very well stated EmilyD!