Well, howdy there, Internet people, it's Bell again.

So today, we're going to talk about Musk, Trump, and a looming government shutdown.

Yesterday, we talked about the continuing resolution that Speaker Johnson put together

to keep the government functioning until mid-March.

We talked about how many in the Republican

rank and file were unhappy to say the least, and how some had already indicated they wouldn't

be supporting it. One even referred to it as a, quote, total dumpster fire. Last night, Trump and

Musk walked up to that flaming dumpster and metaphorically

threw a can of gas into it. Musk took to Twitter to suggest it be voted down and that no bills

be passed until Trump takes office. That would guarantee a shutdown. Without a bill on this, a shutdown will take effect at

12.01 a.m. on Saturday, December 21st, 2024. Hundreds of thousands would go without paychecks for at least

a month. Last time, there was a shutdown of roughly that length. Federal workers found themselves at food banks.

Trump and Vance oddly called for a clean continuing resolution, paired with a hike to the debt ceiling.

That should be a sign to a lot of people when it comes to policy versus rhetoric.

A clean bill would remove a list of things in Johnson's

plan. Despite Trump's criticisms of recent emergency responses, a clean bill would remove a hundred

billion in disaster relief funding. Despite his claims about wanting to lower grocery prices, it would remove billions

and aid for farmers, which would probably create price increases. Despite his stated concerns

about drones, there wouldn't be renewed authorization for counter drone ops by DHS, and so on.

To be completely fair, there are raises for Congresspeople in the package as well.

But the rhetoric about that is also inaccurate.

According to the Congressional Research Service, it's a 3.8% raise, not a 40% raise, as some have claimed.

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