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Rep. Dan Bishop (R-NC) did yeoman’s work on Tuesday when he posted a lengthy thread on Twitter detailing some of the excesses and ridiculous spending in the latest omnibus spending bill currently making its way through the legislature. A mere cursory glance at Bishop’s thread reveals a slew of initiatives that fail to resemble anything that might be a worthy use of taxpayer money. But both Republicans and Democrats are set to ram this thing through Congress anyway.
Why?
Because they do not care what you, the American taxpayer, think. Even further, they know they will not be held accountable for supporting these absurd provisions. Some of the expenditures include hundreds of millions of dollars to help secure borders in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Tunisia, and Oman. You, the taxpayer, will also be footing the $1,438,000,000 bill for the United States’ membership in the United Nations.
And, of course, $1,438,000,000 for membership in global multilateral organizations, including the UN. pic.twitter.com/LHjDYXG2Us
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) December 20, 2022
Oddly enough, our lawmakers seem to have a bizarre concern for the plight of salmon. This bill will grant tens of millions of dollars for salmon-related matters. Yes, it is the tastiest of all fish, but is it worth this much money?
$65 million for salmon?
Seems fishy. pic.twitter.com/JSdjpuffGq
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) December 20, 2022
Also, you might be delighted to find out that your government plans to spend $65 million, in part, for a federal building to be named after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
$65 million in two programs for Senator Leahy, and a federal building named for Nancy Pelosi.
Swamp gonna Swamp. pic.twitter.com/NCEv8NtvdY
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) December 20, 2022
But no omnibus bill would be complete without hefty sums of cash being doled out to the woke cause. The federal government will be gifting $477,000 to the Equity Institute for “antiracist” training and $3 million for the LGBTQ+ museum in the Big Apple.
A few more earmarks:
$477k for "antiracist" training from the Equity Institute
$3 million for the LGBTQ+ museum in NYC
$1.2 million in "services for DACA recipients"
$4.1 million in various career programs for one of the richest counties in the US (Fairfax) pic.twitter.com/pPTxuTwGfQ
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) December 20, 2022
Also, we can’t forget Ukraine, can we? After having sent tens of billions to the country to aid in its military effort against Russia’s invasion, we will be sending even more. How does $47 billion sound, dear reader?
If an additional $47 billion in Ukraine funding isn't enough for you, the bill also authorizes a "Ukrainian Independence Park" right here in DC. pic.twitter.com/vDoAcT7INZ
— Rep. Dan Bishop (@RepDanBishop) December 20, 2022
These are only a few examples. I would encourage you to read the entire thread to gain a deeper understanding of how little your government thinks of you.
Both parties have signaled support for this bill. That Democrats would be gung-ho about this proposal is about as shocking as the J6 committee recommending criminal charges against former President Donald Trump. But the fact that Republicans are on board with this farce is the absolute embodiment of the feckless hypocrisy the party’s lawmakers have displayed for decades. In fact, I have even more contempt for the GOP than the Democrats in this regard. At least Democrats are honest about the fact that they don’t mind spending like drunken sailors.
This bill represents yet another vicious betrayal of the GOP’s constituency. Despite winning control of the House, Republicans have already signaled that they don’t plan to do anything other than what they have been doing for years: pretending to oppose the Democrats’ expansion of the federal government while doing nothing to stop it. RedState’s Bonchie summed it up nicely:
Republicans were given the power of the purse for 2023 and they won’t even be able to use it because [Sen. Mitch] McConnell is so deadset on surrendering. It’s inexplicable, and no, fear of a government shutdown is not an excuse. What is the point of winning elections if that power is conceded before the changing of the guard even occurs?
I have been fond of continually pointing out the reality that the GOP does not want to win. This became especially apparent during and after the midterm elections. But when I make this statement, I am not only talking about elections. Even when Republicans win their races, they seem dead set on not winning while they are in office.
The fact of the matter is that most of the GOP lawmakers we have in Congress are no better than Democrats – they are only more deceptive to their base. These people will never fight for you. They will not look out for your best interests. Their only concern is gaining, and holding onto, power. It is why Sen. McConnell didn’t care enough to fund candidates he did not like. It is why he insists on capitulating to the left. He and other members of the GOP establishment have more in common with Nancy Pelosi than they do with you.
This isn’t to say that there are no decent Republicans serving at the federal, state, and local levels. Unfortunately, these people are becoming a political version of the dodo bird. Perhaps it is time for we the people to take our focus elsewhere and look at ways to mitigate the damage the federal government is planning to inflict on the populace.
