What Had Musk and Ramaswamy So Upset in Spending Bill

When the original continued resolution (CR) was announced, with the support of many House Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), it drew the ire of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and Vivek Ramaswamy.

So much so, in fact, Musk and Ramaswamy posted that any Republican that supported the bill would see a challenge in their next primary race.

So, exactly what was it that had them so upset?

Too Much

Pay raises for members of Congress were atop that list of things that upset everyone, as they were slated to get a 4% raise, which would have been their first raise since 2009.

That sounds like a long time until you realize the stipends these people get, so, no, I don’t feel bad about them having to have two homes, and I don’t feel bad about them not getting a raise in 15 years.

Exemptions for members of Congress not to have to participate in Obamacare, even though the rest of us do. It’s great that they don’t have to pay these ridiculously high premiums when people like myself are paying nearly $800/month for garbage coverage.

Disaster relief was an issue, but not for the reasons many believe. This was about the funding for the $100 billion that was tagged, nothing more.

Rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a huge issue because the bridge is privately owned and has been collecting tolls from people who were using the bridge. Dems wanted the government to fund the rebuild, yet the owner of the bridge would have been able to continue to collect tolls after the rebuild.

The legislation would call for gasoline sales with ethanol up to 15% to be permitted year-round, handing the corn and ethanol lobbyists a major win. Currently, sales are blocked from June through September.

It would have also reauthorized the Global Engagement Center (GEC), which Republicans blamed for the censorship on big tech. Musk stated, “They are a threat to our democracy.”

There was more than $30 billion in economic aid to farmers and disaster relief, which Republicans say should not be in the spending bill, but voted on as its own legislation.

Now, Democrats are already pushing that the GOP blocked funding for firefighters who helped at ground zero after the 9/11 attacks, the farmer aid, etc., but they are twisting the facts just a bit.

Most of this will eventually go through, but as standalone legislation so the American people can see what they are paying for and where the funding is coming from.