Topics discussed include Biden framing the 2024 presidential race, Trump calling the insurrectionists 'hostages,' Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin's mysterious hospitalization, conservatives waging war on the Ivy League, a deal to avoid a potential shutdown, and the GOP effort to impeach Biden's Homeland Security Secretary.
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Quick takeaways
Congress' lack of productivity in 2023 raises concerns for achieving legislative goals.
Intra-party divisions within the Republican Party complicate the passing of significant legislation.
The dangerous attitudes of some Trump supporters towards political opponents were revealed in seeking help to incite violence.
Deep dives
Government Spending Deal Reached Between Schumer and Johnson
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson have reached a deal on government spending. The deal maintains the spending levels agreed to in the debt limit deal signed into law last year. However, the ultra-conservative wing of the Republican party has called the deal unacceptable. It remains to be seen how this will play out, but the divide among Republicans could complicate the process of passing the spending bill.
Unproductive Year in Congress
2023 was the most unproductive year in Congress in decades. Despite previous years of divided government yielding some notable accomplishments, such as bipartisan gun safety legislation, the past year has seen limited progress. One of the few achievements was avoiding a catastrophic default by passing the necessary legislation. However, the lack of productivity is a cause for concern, and it remains to be seen how the current session of Congress will fare in terms of accomplishing meaningful legislative goals.
Fractious Republican Party and Slim Majority
The Republican Party is currently facing internal divisions, with the far-right wing expressing dissatisfaction with recent deals and compromises. The Freedom Caucus, in particular, has voiced strong opposition to the government spending deal reached by Schumer and Johnson. However, the slim majority and fractured nature of the Republican Party make it difficult for them to effectively block legislation without Democratic support. This delicate balance of power within the party and the overall slim majority in Congress creates a challenging environment for passing significant legislation.
Trump advisor sought help for violence against political opponents
In a recent podcast episode, it was discussed how a close aide to Trump explicitly sought help from someone in law enforcement to incite violence against political opponents. This highlights the dangerous attitudes of some Trump supporters towards those who stand in their way.
Secretary of Defense's hospitalization and lack of communication
The podcast also covered the recent controversy surrounding Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin's hospitalization and the lack of communication from the Pentagon. This raised concerns about the chain of command and the ability to handle critical situations if the Secretary is unavailable. The awkward timing of the impeachment of Mayorkas, the lead negotiator on a border deal, was also highlighted.
Biden frames the 2024 presidential race as a fight for democracy while Trump and his allies call the insurrectionists “hostages.” Then, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is hospitalized without informing the White House, conservatives continue to wage war on the Ivy League, and New York Times congressional correspondent Annie Karni joins to talk about a deal to avoid a potential shutdown and the GOP effort to impeach Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary.
For a closed-captioned version of this episode, click here. For a transcript of this episode, please email transcripts@crooked.com and include the name of the podcast.
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