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Freedom Caucus caves in on spending

During negotiations over the debt ceiling, Republicans agreed to a topline budget number for the upcoming fiscal year of $1.59 trillion. Within a few weeks, however, the House Freedom Caucus was back to demanding a lower budget number with a peculiar level of precision: $1.471 trillion. In the end, it was this number that prevented the House from agreeing to a budget. This led to Kevin McCarthy making a deal with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution to keep the government running, and that in turn led to McCarthy's ouster.

That was two months ago and the House still can't agree on a budget. So guess what? The Freedom Caucus is finally recognizing reality:

Since earlier this summer, conservatives have demanded government spending cuts below the budget levels established by the $1.59 trillion debt ceiling deal reached earlier this year.... But on Wednesday, some of those same conservatives began more actively telegraphing a concession of sorts: They’d reluctantly entertain the same $1.59 trillion topline they once spurned.

So in the end it was all for nothing. They deposed a Speaker, spent weeks electing a new one, still couldn't pass a budget, and have now finally reluctantly agreed to pretty much the same budget number as everyone else.

And why not? Take a look at discretionary spending over the past two decades:

Compared to 20 years ago, defense spending is down 3.5% and non-defense spending is down 20.3%. That sounds great for conservatives. So what are they so unhappy about?

25 thoughts on “Freedom Caucus caves in on spending

  1. RiChard

    "Compared to 20 years ago, defense spending is down 3.5% and non-defense spending is down 20.3%. That sounds great for conservatives. So what are they so unhappy about?"

    Conclusion: unhappiness is what they're after, and they will find it no matter what.

  2. brainscoop

    If you disregard this lib sorcery called "adjusting for inflation"--and you know they do--spending has only gone up-up-up. Spending is out of control! Stop the madness!

    1. Art Eclectic

      Spending is always out of control when there is a D in the White House or the D's have either of the two chambers.

      Somehow this magically corrects itself when the R's are in charge.

  3. Five Parrots in a Shoe

    "So what are they so unhappy about?"

    They're not unhappy. They're just blinkered ideologues. Some sheep chant "Four legs good! Two legs bad!" Other sheep chant "Cut spending!" It's the same thing.

  4. Citizen99

    Let's agree to send all questions to confront the Great Answer, which explains everything that motivates Republicans. It has nothing to do with spending levels, spending priorities, what is good for the American people, what is good for American businesses, or what is good for the nation as a whole.

    The Great Answer:

    Nothing good can be allowed to happen while a Democrat is President.

    The end.

  5. lower-case

    they're unhappy with the $1 trillion we're spending on free phones for barely legal transgender sea otters

    how else do you explain the millions of pink triangle sim cards my cousin's friend found in the basement of comet ping pong pizza?

    but don't take my word for it, do your own research

    1. bbleh

      ... also, too, the continued existence of Nancy Pelosi, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama, who collectively are responsible for over 30% of the national debt.

  6. cld

    What are they so unhappy about?

    There are people who aren't them who exist in the world.

    They're going to die and everything they know is worthless.

    They can't take everyone with them and when they go the best they'll have managed is something as exciting and meaningful as a kind of accountants' vandalism.

    Of course they're unhappy.

  7. Adam Strange

    Conservatives are unhappy because there aren't enough people whom they can look down upon.

    They need more. More and more. People to look down upon.

  8. Art Eclectic

    I'm guessing somebody finally did the math on what a Republican staged government shutdown in a presidential election year was likely to yield.

    1. kahner

      It's interesting it took them this long to figure that out. I supposed they just expected dems to cave, or at least the hardcore dumbasses did. But their bluff got called and they folded.

  9. NotCynicalEnough

    They aren't happy and won't be happy until billionaires pay nothing in taxes every year. Paying taxes is for the little people.

  10. Altoid

    It would be a mistake to conclude that they've thrown in the towel on this. Consider it a tactical pause at most. And the humiliation will find its way out on totally unconnected issues.

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