02.21.25

Republican Action vs. Democrat Distractions

The Budget Resolution Vote-a-Rama Split Screen: Republicans Taking Action to Secure the Border, Unleash American Energy, and Rebuild Our Military and Democrats Talking About Anything But

SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE TAKING THE FIRST STEPS IN TACKLING MAJOR NATIONAL SECURITY CHALLENGES

“Ladies and gentlemen, we’re about to embark on a plan to jumpstart the most transformational border security bill in the history of the United States.” – Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)

  • The resolution lays the groundwork for legislation that:
    • Provides $175 billion to secure the border, including: finishing the border wall and updating outdated border technology; increasing the number of detention beds needed to process illegal immigrant arrests and removals; hiring more ICE officers, Border Patrol agents, assistant U.S. attorneys, and immigration judges; and providing “investments in state and local law enforcement to facilitate cooperation with federal law enforcement and immigration enforcement and removal efforts.”
    • Allocates $150 billion to revitalize “our military by providing critical funding for the Department of Defense to strengthen the U.S. military to deter conflict and ensure our nation’s security.”
    • “Facilitates energy independence by unleashing American energy production through on and offshore lease sales, and stopping the Biden Administration’s natural gas tax, also known as the methane emissions fee.” (U.S. Senate Committee on the Budget: Chairman Graham Unveils FY 2025 Budget Resolution To Secure The Border, Revitalize Our Military, Unleash American Energy Production And Begin The Process Of Restoring Fiscal Sanity – 2/7/25)

AMERICANS SUPPORT REPUBLICANS’ RECONCILIATION GOALS

  • According to a CBS News/YouGov poll, 53% of Americans approve of the job President Trump is doing, with many saying “he's doing more than they expected — and of those who say this, most like what they see. Very few think he's doing less.” (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • Nearly six in 10 Americans (59%) approve of the Trump administration’s policy of deporting illegal immigrants. (CBS News: CBS News/YouGov poll – 2/9/25)
  • Nearly eight in 10 Americans (79%) support increased defense spending, the highest level ever recorded in the seven years of the Reagan National Defense Survey. (Ronald Reagan Institute: Reagan National Defense Survey – Nov. 2024)
  • According to an Associated Press VoteCast survey, 96% of voters said “high prices for gas, groceries and other goods” were a factor in their vote. (The Wall Street Journal: How Trump Won the Economy-Is-Everything Election – 11/6/24)
  • Leading up to the election, two-thirds of voters rated the economy as “not so good” or “poor,” and out of the voters who viewed the economy negatively, 69% voted for Trump in the 2024 election.  (The Washington Post: Voter anger over economy boosts Trump in 2024, baffling Democrats – 11/6/24)

WHILE REPUBLICANS ACT, DEMOCRATS TRY TO DISTRACT WITH ANYTHING BUT THE ISSUES AT HAND

“Days like today – where we vote on amendments late into the night – go a long way to revealing where each party stands and who each party is fighting for. Democrats are glad to have this debate.” – Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.)

                                 

  • “After weeks of getting pummeled, Schumer is clearly relishing the prospect of changing the subject…” (Axios: Scoop: Schumer looks to jam Republicans on Musk and billionaires – 2/18/25)
  • “Democrats oppose the Senate GOP’s budget resolution, which will pave the way for passing Trump’s agenda on border security, defense and energy…” (The Hill: What is a vote-a-rama, the Senate GOP’s next hurdle on Trump’s agenda – 2/20/25)
  • Instead of working with Republicans to address these serious national security and energy concerns, Democrats:
    • Made “X owner Elon Musk the centerpiece of a marathon voting session…” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats use Senate ‘vote-a-rama’ to target Elon Musk – 2/20/25)
    • Introduced tax provisions and measures completely unrelated to the Senate’s budget resolution. (Roll Call: Senators get ready for overnight budget ‘vote-a-rama’ – 2/20/25)
    • Complained about voting “[i]n the dead of night,” despite Democrats’ forced amendment votes being the reason for late-night votes. (Senator Alsobrooks: Tweet – 2/20/25)

AMERICANS SEE THROUGH DEMOCRATS’ UNSERIOUSNESS: CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATS HAVE NEVER BEEN LESS POPULAR

  • “Democrats are struggling to repair their image with voters after a bruising 2024 election that put President Trump in the White House and Republicans in control of both houses of Congress.” (Axios: Democrats hammered by ugly unpopularity numbers – 1/29/25)
  • According to a Gallup poll, a “plurality of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents — 45% — said they want their party to become more moderate…” (Semafor: Principals – 2/13/25; Gallup Poll – 2/13/25)
  • According to a February Quinnipiac University poll, “[t]wenty-one percent of voters approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, which is an all-time low, while 68 percent of voters disapprove…” (Quinnipiac University Poll – 2/19/25)
  • The poll found that Democrats are even unpopular with their own voters: only “40 percent of Democrats approve of the way the Democrats in Congress are handling their job, while 49 percent disapprove…” (Quinnipiac University Poll – 2/19/25)
  • A January Quinnipiac University poll found that 57% of voters had an unfavorable view of the Democrat party as a whole, marking “the highest percentage of voters” with “an unfavorable opinion of the Democratic Party since the Quinnipiac University Poll began asking this question.” (Quinnipiac University Poll – 1/29/25)