Our mess in 2024

"January is going to be a hot mess. AND - that is assuming nothing more gets put on the plate. I can see the handwriting on the wall already. Another CR will be coming. The Freedom Caucus will throw a fit. Might be the end of the very short tenure for Speaker Johnson."

Tick, toc, tick toc. No, I am not talking about the Chinese internet program which has many of our kids held captive. I am talking about the loud sound of the clock, signifying the end of the calendar year. It is going to be a nice holiday season, sliding right into 2024, which promises to be a real mess. How so? The nation's "to do" list is long and complicated. And Congress only has the month of January to kick butt and take names - or else.

What is it about getting funding authorized and passed into law which is next to impossible for us to do? When our new speaker "kicked the can" down the road just a bit ago, the day of reckoning is approaching quickly. Many of the funding bills are not signed into law as yet. Why? The Republican House prepares them, and then votes on them. When they pass, they are sent to the Democrat Senate. This institution is crawling with socialist Democrats and establishment Republicans. Getting Republican funding bills approved by the Senate borders somewhere between the very hard and the impossible. 

Just in case a bill does pass the Senate (with amendments), it then needs to go back into conference. In the unlikely event it passes muster in both chambers, it then goes to Sleepy Joe for signature. He might veto the bill, and then it is back to square one. MEANWHILE - tick toc, tick toc. Ground Hog Day approaches.

Did I mention the additional funding for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific still is not passed? Did I mention the southern border is still wide open, and no legislation has passed to fix it? Did I mention the impeachment inquiry for Biden is still going on? Did I mention the House hearings on Hunter Biden continue? Did I also mention the House and Senate are off for MLK Day? How is all of this stuff going to get done before the government shuts down? Tick toc, tick toc.

January is going to be a hot mess. AND - that is assuming nothing more gets put on the plate. I can see the handwriting on the wall already. Another CR will be coming. The Freedom Caucus will throw a fit. Might be the end of the very short tenure for Speaker Johnson. Bottom line? Enjoy the holidays. If you imbibe too much, don't worry about it. The hangover starts on January 1, 2024. Tick toc.