Option 2: Pass an omnibus, a giant full funding bill, that gets government funded until next fall. (Or a few “minibuses” that add up to an omnibus.)
This brings me to you, the larger group of Republicans who disagrees with the speaker. You want a larger, long-term solution.
As you see it, this makes sense: The military would have stable, good funding, and it kicks the funding fight far down the road, allowing room for you to tackle the things you really care about in Trump’s first 100 days.
In your view, Republicans don’t need that messy (and it will be very messy) funding fight in the spring.
But Speaker Johnson feels differently. See my note to him above. He does not want a long-term solution now.
Option 3: Democrats, you can get involved.
Democrats, let me turn to you. You still control the Senate and with the increasingly small Republican margin in the House, you still have significant sway there, too.
I know. I know. You see this as Republicans’ mess. Let them figure it out, you say.
But at the same time, you also see that in the end, you will likely need to step in here and help bring in this ship.
But if you do want that, you need to get moving.
After Thanksgiving, Congress is only in Washington
for three weeks. So if you want an omnibus, you need to get going.
Option 4: Do whatever Trump wants.
As you know, the president-elect has not weighed in on this fight yet. (Though I understand many of you have left him voicemails.)
But should he wade into this fight, it would give Speaker Johnson political cover. For you other Republicans, it could help set a direction.
The problem here, as you lawmakers know best, is that Trump likes to keep allies and enemies alike in a state of vibrating uncertainty about what he will do. He likes to hear you make your arguments and assess who of you has the strongest or weakest hands. And that assessment can change with a single encounter.
This is also a political solution. As your smart staff members may be telling you, a Trump-decides solution could have larger policy problems. He may want a version of funding that comes with other serious ripple effects.
What will happen?
One thing all of you Republicans and Democrats share is that you truly don’t want a government shutdown.
Republicans: You see the start of the second Trump administration as a chance to focus on policies, including massive tax cuts (although, as some among you have suggested, it
won’t be as easy to do as you think).
Democrats: I know you are happy for Republicans to be their own worst enemies and reveal underlying chaos. But to you, this is a chance for one more funding bill that you can influence.
I don’t know how you get through this. But you have just more than a month.
And this holiday season, it would be nice to not worry about a government shutdown.
Thank you for your consideration,
Lisa
