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| White House and GOP scramble to pass budget after revolt by Democrats | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Republicans formed an unlikely alliance with the White House in a late-night scramble to pass a $1.1tn federal budget over the objections of House Democrats, who claim it has been hijacked by Wall Street lobbyists and campaign finance interests. | Republicans formed an unlikely alliance with the White House in a late-night scramble to pass a $1.1tn federal budget over the objections of House Democrats, who claim it has been hijacked by Wall Street lobbyists and campaign finance interests. |
| In dramatic scenes that mirrored the lead-up to the government shutdown of October 2013, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough spent three hours locked in talks with the House Democratic caucus on Thursday night trying to persuade its members to drop their opposition to the so-called “cromnibus” and pleading with them that it was the best deal available. | In dramatic scenes that mirrored the lead-up to the government shutdown of October 2013, White House chief of staff Denis McDonough spent three hours locked in talks with the House Democratic caucus on Thursday night trying to persuade its members to drop their opposition to the so-called “cromnibus” and pleading with them that it was the best deal available. |
| Eventually, with less than three hours to go until another government shutdown, House speaker John Boehner decide to gamble on receiving sufficient support from Democrats to overcome a rebellion on the right of his own party and called a final vote. | Eventually, with less than three hours to go until another government shutdown, House speaker John Boehner decide to gamble on receiving sufficient support from Democrats to overcome a rebellion on the right of his own party and called a final vote. |
| “Thank you and Merry Christmas,” said Boehner as he secured 219 votes, one more than he needed to guarantee passage and including support from 57 Democrats. The 206 no votes were bolstered by 67 Republicans, more than expected, who are angry that their party is not using the budget to challenge president Obama more aggressively on immigration reform. | “Thank you and Merry Christmas,” said Boehner as he secured 219 votes, one more than he needed to guarantee passage and including support from 57 Democrats. The 206 no votes were bolstered by 67 Republicans, more than expected, who are angry that their party is not using the budget to challenge president Obama more aggressively on immigration reform. |
| That battle has been postponed until March when Congress will have to vote again on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which was deliberately left out of the wider omnibus spending package and only funded through a short-term continuing resolution. | That battle has been postponed until March when Congress will have to vote again on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which was deliberately left out of the wider omnibus spending package and only funded through a short-term continuing resolution. |
| The passage of the omnibus spending bill in the House was followed by a two-day continuing resolution to allow the Senate time to follow suit and all but guarantees that most of the government will remain funded until next September. | The passage of the omnibus spending bill in the House was followed by a two-day continuing resolution to allow the Senate time to follow suit and all but guarantees that most of the government will remain funded until next September. |
| But it is the split in the Democratic party that is likely to have longer-term consequences. Many Democrats are furious that the 1,600-page omnibus bill included two unrelated concessions to financial interest groups: a tenfold increase in campaign limits for donations to political parties and candidates, and a reversal of the Dodd-Frank banking reforms that will allow public bailouts of banks taking risky derivatives bets. | But it is the split in the Democratic party that is likely to have longer-term consequences. Many Democrats are furious that the 1,600-page omnibus bill included two unrelated concessions to financial interest groups: a tenfold increase in campaign limits for donations to political parties and candidates, and a reversal of the Dodd-Frank banking reforms that will allow public bailouts of banks taking risky derivatives bets. |
| The White House insists it opposes both measures in principle too, but its decision to nonetheless back passage of the bill in the interests of political expediency has enraged many in the party. | The White House insists it opposes both measures in principle too, but its decision to nonetheless back passage of the bill in the interests of political expediency has enraged many in the party. |
| “If you don’t stand for something, you will stand for anything,” veteran civil rights campaigner and congressman John Lewis reportedly told the party’s closed-door caucus session. | “If you don’t stand for something, you will stand for anything,” veteran civil rights campaigner and congressman John Lewis reportedly told the party’s closed-door caucus session. |
| “I don’t see the benefit of us losing our soul over two great issues that are the problems of our time,” said another Democratic congresswoman shortly after the caucus briefly united to vote unanimously against a procedural motion in the run-up to the main vote. | “I don’t see the benefit of us losing our soul over two great issues that are the problems of our time,” said another Democratic congresswoman shortly after the caucus briefly united to vote unanimously against a procedural motion in the run-up to the main vote. |
| The fact that so many Democrats, including minority leader Nancy Pelosi, were willing to defy the White House suggests waning influence of Obama over the party after its heavy midterms defeat. | The fact that so many Democrats, including minority leader Nancy Pelosi, were willing to defy the White House suggests waning influence of Obama over the party after its heavy midterms defeat. |
| But it also hints at the rising power of what has been called the Elizabeth Warren wing of the party: leftwing Democrats appalled at measures to weaken Wall Street reforms, with the president apparently willing to turn a blind eye. | But it also hints at the rising power of what has been called the Elizabeth Warren wing of the party: leftwing Democrats appalled at measures to weaken Wall Street reforms, with the president apparently willing to turn a blind eye. |
| Warren has hitherto insisted she is not running for president herself, but spoke out passionately against the “cromnibus” and presents a growing challenge to what her supporters dismissively call the Wall Street wing of the party and its figurehead: Hillary Clinton. | Warren has hitherto insisted she is not running for president herself, but spoke out passionately against the “cromnibus” and presents a growing challenge to what her supporters dismissively call the Wall Street wing of the party and its figurehead: Hillary Clinton. |