Scoop: Johnson faces new pressure from Democrats on foreign aid

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) is facing new demands from Democrats to include humanitarian aid for a variety of global hot spots in a foreign aid package, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: It complicates the speaker's precarious path for passing aid to Israel and Ukraine as he tries to balance competing demands from all ends of the ideological spectrum.

• "He's a bit boxed in," one House Democrat said of Johnson. "He goes one way, he loses votes, he goes another way, he loses votes, and he's got people who are talking about throwing him out every day."
• "No matter which path he walks down ... one's with alligators, one's with piranhas. It's a nightmare version of choose-your-own adventure."

Driving the news: Eight House Democrats, led by Rep. Susan Wild (D-Pa.), urged Johnson in a letter on Tuesday to include at least $9.16 billion in aid to countries facing violent conflicts and other humanitarian crises.

• In addition to Ukraine and Gaza, the letter calls for aid to Sudan, Haiti, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Venezuela and Lebanon.
• "By abdicating this responsibility, our nation would allow unstable areas around the world to grow even more volatile—fueling threats to our security," the lawmakers wrote.

Between the lines: Johnson will need Democrats to vote overwhelmingly for any foreign aid bills under a process that requires them to attain a two-thirds majority.

• Democrats have not been pleased by proposals Johnson has floated to structure Ukraine aid as a loan and attach legislation to lift a pause on liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and seize frozen Russian assets.
• "You throw LNG in there, that's a huge poison pill. I'm not sure people will swallow that pill on the Democratic side," said the House Democrat.
• Many House Democrats cited the lack of humanitarian aid for Palestinians as their basis for voting against a standalone Israel aid bill in February.

The other side: Humanitarian aid to Palestinians is deeply unpopular among the Republican lawmakers Johnson is trying to appease, as is non-military aid to Ukraine and government spending in general.

• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has threatened to trigger a vote to remove Johnson as speaker if he holds a Ukraine aid vote in any form.
• A House Republican close to the speaker told Axios the chances of additional humanitarian aid getting a vote in the House are "slim."

The bottom line: Johnson "is going to have to do whatever he can to get as many Republicans [as he can]," the House Democrat told Axios.

• But, the lawmaker said, Johnson "does this with Democrats. I think there's no other way around it. ... The question is: How can he save the most face in the process?"

https://www.axios.com/2024/04/04/mike-johnson-ukraine-aid-bill-israel

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

If this ever comes up for a vote (more doubtful by the day) the vote is gonna be a close call.

R's will probably be 50/50. D's will shed votes depending on how the Israel/Gaza part of the aid package looks.

The longer this drags out the more doubtful it becomes.

 

[joelbc1]

Are you saying that Johnson’s problems are because the House Democrats are pushing their agenda? Johnson’s problems are his problems and the Houae Republican’S problems. They (House Republicans) created this monster….right?

 

[HROT]

Johnson is trying to stall as much as he can. Like a good Russian nesting doll

 

[Tom Paris]

If this ever comes up for a vote (more doubtful by the day) the vote is gonna be a close call.

R's will probably be 50/50. D's will shed votes depending on how the Israel/Gaza part of the aid package looks.

The longer this drags out the more doubtful it becomes.

All of this, for me, comes down to the fact that the Middle East has been a shitshow my entire life and they can't get it together, constantly forcing American presidents of both parties to deal with it. I think every president since I have been alive would have had an easier job if the countries over there could figure out how to live peacefully together.

 

[MichaelKeller99]

All of this, for me, comes down to the fact that the Middle East has been a shitshow my entire life and they can't get it together, constantly forcing American presidents of both parties to deal with it. I think every president since I have been alive would have had an easier job if the countries over there could figure out how to live peacefully together.

That would happen if we’d stop funding all the different factions.

According to the prevailing view in the U.S. government, security assistance* works wonders: it builds the capabilities of partner countries, provides influence over their policies, and guarantees access to influential institutions and personalities in capitals across the globe. If true, this would seem to more than justify the $48.7 billion the U.S. has spent on security assistance to the Middle East over the past decade.

In reality, U.S. military assistance promises more than it delivers. There is scant evidence outside of a few isolated cases that U.S. material support to Middle Eastern countries has fulfilled any of these purposes. Recipients of U.S. funding and weapons have largely failed to make major strides in their capabilities and, in some instances, may have even regressed.

* security assistance is, simply put, is the MIC pouring gas on the fires

https://carnegieendowment.org/2018/02/27/what-has-49-billion-in-foreign-military-aid-bought-us-not-much-pub-75657

 

[franklinman]

Johnson is trying to stall as much as he can. Like a good Russian nesting doll

shit or get off the pot Johnson or let someone else fix these items.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

shit or get off the pot Johnson or let someone else fix these items.

There's nobody else.

 

[franklinman]

There's nobody else.

Then its time to send him packing.

 

[Chishawk1425]

There's nobody else.

Jeffries. The GOP is not worthy of any leadership portion.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Jeffries. The GOP is not worthy of any leadership portion.

Probably in Jan 2025. Long time to wait.

 

[Chishawk1425]

Probably in Jan 2025. Long time to wait.

The Seditionist caucus is down to what, 2 seat majority?

 

[Finance85]

Every dollar spent on foreign aid is borrowed, and is a threat to our national security and ability to help Americans. Congress has lost all concept of money. They do this while simultaneously talking about sustainability of social security and medicare. Unreal.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Every dollar spent on foreign aid is borrowed, and is a threat to our national security and ability to help Americans. Congress has lost all concept of money. They do this while simultaneously talking about sustainability of social security and medicare. Unreal.

Foreign aid is less than 1% of the budget.

 

[Finance85]

Foreign aid is less than 1% of the budget.

Is that supposed to be some kind of good point?

1% of $5T (and that's low) is $50B that needs to be borrowed.

 

[binsfeldcyhawk2]

Is that supposed to be some kind of good point?

1% of $5T (and that's low) is $50B that needs to be borrowed.

Depends. I agree with some of the foreign aid, not all.

To treat it all the same and just say "cut all foreign aid" isn't what I'd be on board with.

 

[joelbc1]

Is that supposed to be some kind of good point?

1% of $5T (and that's low) is $50B that needs to be borrowed.

Drop. In. The. Bucket.