The ongoing political drama within the House Freedom Caucus suggests a new stratagem to rally their members, in a seemingly desperate attempt to expand the Republican congressional majority and bring back former President Donald Trump. The caucus’s latest idea is to append the SAVE Act, a bill designed to block noncitizens from voting in federal elections, to a short-term spending bill that will keep the government functioning up until the inauguration of the next president.
As the lower house gets back into session, the caucus appears to be expecting the Republican conference, led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, to back its continuing resolution, which is clearly intended to prevent a lame-duck omnibus bill. Evidently, the caucus is hoping that the requirement for a funding bill – without which the government will shut down after October 1st – will pressure the major players into toeing their line.
Yet, the House majority has alternative options, such as supporting an interim funding measure that could finance the government till December or November. Though this move would certainly lead to a debate over an enormous omnibus funding bill during a lame-duck session before Christmas, it may be seen as the lesser of two evils.
Despite the undeniable fact that the Freedom Caucus and several other conservative members of Congress are averse to the afore-mentioned alternative, their fear seems to be based on an unreasonable belief that excessive spending and poor policy would bind the hands of a future Republican – and possibly a Trump – administration.
It must be noted that the caucus’s persistence in pushing for the SAVE Act, already passed by the House in July, coincides with conservatives voicing concerns about high numbers of illegal immigrants at the U.S.-Mexico border who, they claim, could potentially influence the results of significant elections.
In the projected clash for the 2024 presidency between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris, the issue of immigration has been overly highlighted. Yet, even as countless voters express that border security is a top priority, the unfounded anecdote of illegal immigrants ‘manipulating’ elections via fraudulent voting has been carelessly circulated – all without any significant evidence to back such assertions.
As the GOP braces itself to attempt to maintain and expand a slim majority in the house lower chamber, while Trump looms over a potential race against Harris, they believe that inflaming Republicans about prevalent voter issues constitutes the strategy to turning the tide.
The Republican narrative, designed to paint a grim picture of the potential threats posed by illegal immigrants, seems to be an integral part of their game plan for the November 5th elections. Interestingly, it has been observed that Trump tends to enjoy greater public trust than Harris on matters related to immigration, as per national polling.
Attempts to exploit ‘border vulnerability’ issue against both Biden and Harris can be seen as a calculated move. According to political science professor Stephen Farnsworth, of the University of Mary Washington, ‘Voters are seeking stronger border management than what is currently provided,’ indicating a potentially exploitable gap between public expectations and existing policies.
The SAVE Act has certainly found support among several conservative leaders and organizations, clearly aligning with the agenda Republicans seem to have set for the forthcoming elections. In a bid to safeguard U.S. election integrity from the votes of noncitizens, the bill seems to be bolstered by Stephen Miller, who was one of Trump’s close advisers during his time in office.
Trump’s latest rhetorics, avidly echoed at his rally to a cheering crowd, has been primarily focused on perceived election integrity. ‘Our central aim,’ he had recently declared at a North Carolina event, ‘is to ensure they do not resort to deceitful measures as our votes are resoundingly superior.’ The implicit support of Trump and Johnson for the atypical spending measure proposed by the Freedom Caucus strengthens their chances of connecting the bill to a continuing resolution.
Despite the ambiguous future of the caucus’s members, they may win the tussle next month to add the SAVE Act to a provisional spending measure. Last fall, the Caucus demonstrated its political might when a few of its members instigated the fall from grace of the former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, rooted in disagreements about his spending agreement with President Joe Biden.
Members of the House Freedom Caucus wear their defiance of the ‘established norm’ like a badge. As Roy puts it, when they question the existing order, the boat undoubtedly rocks. Their influence is subtly highlighted by the slim majority enjoyed by the Republican party, where the caucus with its approximate three dozen members packs quite a punch.
Anticipating the possibility of a second Trump term, the caucus is infamous for its consistent reshuffling of priorities for 2024. Roy, in particular, expresses the urgency to address the ‘gigantic’ regulatory powers that are ‘hammering’ American consumers.
Indications are rife about a possible collaboration between the Freedom Caucus and independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., in the arena of healthcare. Roy, while commending Kennedy, referred to the former president’s desire to join forces in addressing the chronic disease ‘epidemic’ plaguing the country and termed it as a potential opportunity for Republicans.
However, the overall health of the nation, healthcare policies, personal freedom, and eliminating massive bureaucracies and corporations stifling individuals are issues that are prominently featured in the Freedom Caucus’ agenda for Trump. And, as Roy rightfully puts it, ‘RFK’s voice will undoubtedly prove pivotal in this regard.’
Desperate House Freedom Caucus Clutching at Straws over SAVE Act appeared first on Real News Now.
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