There’s perhaps no grosser process in the United States Congress than the appropriations process for spending taxpayer dollars. The same thing happened again from early-mid March when another $1.5 billion spending bill passed both chambers. As is the norm, it was eventually approved in the middle or the evening.
It was not read by everyone who voted for it. And it contained ridiculous pork from Kennedy Center funding (which receives a huge payoff almost every year) and half a million dollars for PBS. Also included was money for Ukrainian aid. This amount was less that 1%. Some Republicans opposed it not because of their pro-Putin views, but rather because they disagree with the majority of its provisions.
As RedState reported, that then led Chris Murphy to lash out on Twitter, asserting that members like Ben Sasse were hypocrites because they were criticizing Joe Biden’s response to the Russian invasion while voting against a bill that contained aid for Ukraine. Sasse responded with one of the best Senate floor takedowns I’ve ever seen.
This was really amazing. If you didn’t catch the video of him demolishing Murphy’s “self-pleasuring” the first time around, here’s what that looked like.
Sen. @BenSasseAbsolutely nothing @ChrisMurphyCTSasse claims that he voted against the omnibus bill relating to Ukraine aid after the Democrat senator made this claim. Eight-tenths (1%) of the $1.5 trillion Omnibus Spending Bill was voted on aid. Murphy here is humiliated. pic.twitter.com/6AP04J5wM4
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) March 18, 2022
I know Sasse isn’t exactly well-liked among parts of the Republican base because of some things he said during the Trump years. In this case, I don’t care, though. I’ve been waiting for a Republican to stand up on the Senate floor and say this for years.
Think about how common sense Sasse’s argument is. Murphy claims you have to compromise on specific parts of legislation in order to get it passed. But, how is a $1.5 trillion spending bill a “bit” or a “piece.” Instead, it’s a massive boondoggle of thousands of different appropriations, many of which are completely unnecessary and not in the purview of the federal government, all crammed into a single piece of legislation.
Sasse claims that this is completely insane, and that almost all Americans disapprove about how their money has been spent. The Senate approval ratings also agree with Sasse. And to be sure, it’s not just Murphy and his party who are to blame. Mitch McConnell (the GOP Senate Minority Leader) is also a fan of the Omnibus Process. He has done nothing to oppose it throughout the years and many Republican senators have voted in favor.
How hard would it be to make a single bill that says “Aid for Ukraine,” and only includes…aid for Ukraine? It is a bipartisan issue. Why even try to put that into a large, controversial spending bill? Murphy and his cohorts wanted to make the wedge point.
Republicans can have this opportunity if they win the Senate again in 2022. They will also make huge gains there in 2024, given the layout of the map. Either they will continue to use the irresponsible Omnibus process or pass bills with a narrower focus. It’s one thing to have a “transportation bill” that includes lots of different appropriations. Naturally, there will be condensing around specific areas. But you can tailor legislation so that what’s included is at least related. Ukrainian aid does not have to be related to the Kennedy Center. These two things shouldn’t be on the same bill.
Doing so would also put Joe Biden under immense pressure, and force him to veto bills clearly defined with broad support, while demanding huge, complex spending packages. I’m going to guess that most Americans wouldn’t side with the president on that. In other words, what Sasse is saying is not only responsible, but it’s smart politically.
Unfortunately, it is not likely that the Republican leadership will implement those changes to the appropriations system. Instead, look for more omnibus bills under the guise of “keeping the government open.”
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