Our toddler king gave us sombrero memes this week, while the federal government shut down and he promised to set fire to what remains. Mike Lawler blames the Democrats.
Are we entertained yet? JD Vance is. “I think it’s funny. . . . You can negotiate in good faith while also making a little bit of fun.” As he let the meme play on a loop in the White House press briefing room.
Of course there is no negotiation, there has been no negotiation, there will be no negotiation. Republicans “have nothing to negotiate,” according to Speaker Mike Johnson. The top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, Patty Murray, said GOP leaders have refuse to talk to Democrats about a deal to fund the government.
Our relentless Trump spokesperson, Mike Lawler, continues to push the party line. Just sign here and we’ll negotiate, he says. Trust us. Trusting Lawler and the GOP to negotiate in good faith — that’s what got us the historic $1T+ in Medicaid cuts, and has us staring over the cliff on Obamacare subsidies. And Donald Trump ignoring any funding decisions made by Congress.
Instead of good-faith negotiations, Democrats are offered bad-faith threats:
Trump already launched huge cuts to federal funding in blue jurisdictions, including major infrastructure projects in NY. See “Trump turns shutdown into weapon against blue America.”
In Mike Lawler’s world, though, it’s the Democrats who are playing politics.
The GOP’s single-party scorched earth governance and fealty to a madman has left Democrats with few options. They have chosen this rare moment of leverage to try and reverse Lawler’s $1T+ in Medicaid cuts, save Obamacare subsidies, and limit Trump’s ability to freeze funds appropriated by Congress. It would be nice to reverse some of those tax breaks for Trump’s rich buddies too, but that might be a stretch.
Back to the sombreros. Republicans are trying to win the PR war by hammering on a single message.
This is wrong in so many ways. See Rolling Back the Big Beautiful Bill’s Health Care Provisions Would Not Provide Health Care to Undocumented Immigrants (KFF); Explaining the G.O.P.’s Misleading Talking Point on the Looming Shutdown (NYT); Democrats did not shut down the government to give health care to ‘illegal immigrants’ (AP News).
Nonetheless, our man in Congress, Mike Lawler, has taken his assignment and spread the misinformation. Just a couple of examples. Mike suggests that Democrats are trying to restore $200B in federal funds for undocumented immigrants’ healthcare:
Mike’s source for this number? The White House. And as you’d expect, it’s misleading at best. I challenge anybody out there to defend it with credible facts. Spend a day on AI, or in the Library of Congress, and you won’t even get close to $200B. But Mike trusts the White House. And of course he loves those FOXy Breaking911 clips.
Lawler then taps into a viral video of the Democratic candidates raising their hands in a 2020 CNN debate. This is what Lawler reposted:
First of all, she asks about “undocumented immigrants,” not “illegal immigrants.” One of those classic moments of just answer yes or no to coverage for undocumented immigrants. No distinction between emergency and non-emergency care, no definition of undocumented. But they raised their hands, those lying liars!! Then the pure falsehood: “Joe Biden instituted it as President.” He didn’t.
The facts. 1.4 million lawfully present immigrants will lose health coverage under the GOP’s cuts.
All of this is a distraction in any event. The most urgent focus of the Democrats in this moment is Obamacare subsidies. Premiums will more than double next year if the enhanced tax credits aren’t renewed.
Equally urgent is Democrats’ effort to reassert Congressional authority over spending, to limit Trump’s ability to freeze funds appropriated by Congress. This is not a partisan position. This is exercising Article I responsibility. This is why we pay Mike Lawler’s salary. Constitutional checks and balances. Not writing or tearing up checks without balances.
Memes, threats and lies somehow rule this day, while Mike Lawler dances in a circle of ambition with the doddering tyrant and all of the other children in Congress. But hey, are we not entertained? That’s what it’s all about, right? Forget healthcare, as long as I can scroll and troll.
Right, left, right. Dance in a circle.
Rule of Lawler 