<<<DID ELON MUSK HELP OR HURT GETTING A BUDGET DEAL?>>>

Dear John, 

This eventful week in Congress offers a stark preview of what lies ahead for Washington next year. 

In case you missed it, here is what happened: House Republicans had negotiated a continuing resolution with Democrats to avert a government shutdown while delaying tackling the debt ceiling. But after Elon Musk trashed the bill on X, President-elect Trump urged Republicans to abandon it and confront the debt ceiling now, while President Biden is still in office. 

The result was a pared-down bill that went up in flames Thursday, with 38 Republican lawmakers joining Democrats in voting against it. Now, the House has passed a revised version of the same bill, this time with the debt ceiling increase removed, and it appears the bill will become law in time to avert a government shutdown.

While Congress appears to be doing the bare minimum to keep the government open, it is far from a cause for celebration. 

Here are three lessons from this week: 

1. The chaos this week foreshadows the situation ahead, with Elon Musk and other new Trump-era influencers wielding significant power over Congress. We are hopeful that this can spark necessary changes, but the outcome is far from certain. 
   
   
2. As Congressman Josh Gottheimer noted on a call Friday, this week demonstrated the difficulty House Republicans will face governing with only a five-seat majority in the House. Tackling major issues will require cooperation between the two parties.
   
   
3. Our government’s approach to funding itself is an ongoing disaster. Everything happens under the pressure of looming deadlines. Deals are rushed through at the last minute, often packed with wasteful spending to secure votes. It is a dereliction of Congress’ primary duty.  

At No Labels, we have been advocating for budget reform for years. We championed No Budget, No Pay—arguing that lawmakers shouldn’t receive paychecks if they fail to do their basic job of passing a budget on time.  

In the upcoming Congress, we believe the shakeup in government and the desire for change among leaders like Musk will be an opportunity for significant reform. To usher it in, we will support leaders who are committed to working together and fixing this broken process. We will push for disciplined governance and lasting reforms. 

We are entering an unprecedented era in Washington--full of potential and also uncertainty. Every day will bring new surprises. I hope we take these next two weeks to rest up and prepare—history awaits us in the new year. 

Ryan Clancy  

Chief Strategist 

Centrist group No Labels considers next moves as Donald Trump returns

By Tia Mitchell
The centrist organization No Labels became a flash point during this year’s election when it floated the idea of a third-party ticket as an alternative to Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democratic incumbent Joe Biden. That campaign never materialized, but the attention prompted support and criticism for a group that has been pushing for bipartisan solutions in Washington since 2010. Chief strategist Ryan Clancy says the group’s focus now is on figuring out the role No Labels will play as Trump returns to the White House.

‘What would Mitt Romney do?’ His fight is still worth waging.

By Washington Post Editorial Board

Mitt Romney took courageous stands on principle, but he also passed a lot into law. Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), retiring at 77, accomplished more during his single term than many senators do in decades. Though it helped that he entered the chamber with the gravitas of an elder statesman, having served as the GOP’s 2012 presidential nominee, the reason he proved so effective was his willingness to work across the aisle and prioritize the interests of the country over his party.

No Labels candidates put country before party
By Steve Martin

I just returned from attending a conference in Washington organized by the political organization No Labels. It featured around 20 senators and representatives, split evenly between Democrats and Republicans. It was a wonderful conference, but I came away both optimistic and disturbed. The optimism came because all the speakers emphasized their motivation to reach across the aisle to generate the solutions so many Americans seek. These included border security, immigration, energy, regulatory reform, tax policy and even the Social Security dilemma. They gave me hope that some of these achievements are in reach.

No Labels Talks Episode 34: Trump’s Tariffs: The Case Against with Scott Lincicome

In the first of a special two-part edition of No Labels Talks, Ryan is joined by Scott Lincicome of the Cato Institute, who makes the case against President-elect Trump’s aggressive tariff proposals. Lincicome discusses how such tariffs could impose significant economic costs, fail to achieve their intended policy goals, and exacerbate political dysfunction, all while providing insights into the broader implications for the U.S. economy and global trade. Don't miss the chance to hear from one of the leading trade experts in Washington on this central policy issue.

Who Really Elects Congress?

By Peyton Lofton
The infamous William “Boss” Tweed, a corrupt party boss in 19th century New York, once quipped “I don't care who does the electing, so long as I get to do the nominating. Fast forward to 2024, and America’s two major political parties have effectively become Boss Tweed. More than 80 percent of U.S. congressional districts lean so heavily Democratic or Republican that the general election doesn’t even matter. Whoever the dominant party nominates in their primary goes on to win every time.

Trump’s Primary Power Moves

By Sam Zickar
With the 2025 Congress yet to convene, President-elect Trump is already looking ahead to the 2026 elections to shape the legislative process on Capitol Hill as negotiations to fund the government drag deep into the holiday season. After Texas Rep. Chip Roy spoke out against a proposed provision to raise the debt ceiling—a measure Trump supports—the President-elect suggested on Truth Social that Texas Republicans might consider running a primary challenger against Roy. It’s a tactic Trump has increasingly employed—leveraging primary challenges as a tool to shape the Republican Party.

Help Grow the Commonsense Movement!

We need your help, pitch in $3 or whatever you can to keep this movement growing. Your contributions go directly towards our efforts to support problem solving in America and bring common sense to Washington.