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WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

GOP Lessons From the Christmas Shutdown Brinkmanship

WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch

The Wall Street Journal

News, Society & Culture

4.22.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 December 2024

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Congress passes a bill to fund the government, narrowly averting a shutdown over the holidays, but what did Donald Trump and Elon Musk accomplish by going nuclear on the initial legislation? Is this a bad omen for 2025, when Republicans will take control of Washington and begin negotiations on their priorities? And can Speaker Mike Johnson muster the votes to keep his gavel? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

Give the gift of a world of knowledge this holiday season with The Economist. Get access to

0:06.3

trusted, fact-based global reporting and analysis, plus exclusive podcasts, insightful newsletters,

0:12.5

films and more. And here's the best part. When you buy a subscription, you can give a second one

0:18.4

for free. Perfect for those who think big just like you.

0:22.3

So go to Economist.com slash holiday gifting offer to take advantage of this gifting offer ending soon.

0:32.6

From the opinion pages of the Wall Street Journal, this is Potomac Watch.

0:40.7

After Congress narrowly avoids a pre-Christmas government closure, is this a preview of the next two years or what

0:46.2

lessons can be learned from the shutdown showdown, including maybe by Donald Trump and Elon Musk?

0:52.1

Welcome, I'm Kyle Peterson with the Wall Street Journal. We're joined

0:55.6

today by my colleagues, columnist Kim Strassel, and editorial board member, Manet Uquay-Berua.

1:02.1

On Saturday, President Biden signed a bill to extend government funding into March, technically

1:08.5

after the midnight deadline, but without any interruption in government funding,

1:13.5

government programs, the bill included $100 billion in disaster aid, $10 billion in assistance

1:20.8

to farmers, did not include what President Trump wanted, which is an increase in the debt ceiling.

1:27.4

President Biden said this agreement represents a compromise, which is an increase in the debt ceiling. President Biden said

1:28.3

this agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted, but it

1:34.2

ensures the government can continue to operate at full capacity. Here's what Speaker of the House,

1:38.5

Mike Johnson was saying on Friday after the bill passed his chamber. This is America First

1:43.3

legislation because it allows us to be set up to deliver for the American people.

1:48.0

In January, we will make a sea change in Washington.

1:51.0

President Trump will return to D.C. and to the White House, and we will have Republican control of the Senate and the House.

1:58.0

Things are going to be very different around here.

...

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