Evidently, the fact that Republicans “only” control the House necessitates that they pass bills with Democrats support. Once again, House leaders passed a bill through the House with only a majority of Democrat support.
As we noted yesterday, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation is a corporate welfare bank to subsidize foreign investment. 106 Republicans voted for it while 116 voted against it. This is yet another violation of the precedent to pass bills only with majority Republican support. After all, Republicans control the House for a reason. House leadership has passed bills with Democrat support on a number of other occasions:
- “Fiscal Cliff” tax hikes and stimulus pork (HR 8 1/1/13)- This was the McConnell-Biden tax hike coupled $230 billion in new stimulus spending, including $40 billion in green energy pork. It passed with only 85 Republican votes.
- Sandy Pork Bill (HR 152, 1/15/13) – This bill contained $60 billion in extraneous pork spending, of which the majority would be appropriated long after the recovery from the Hurricane is over. It passed with just 38 Republican votes.
- “Violence Against Women Act (S. 47 2/28/13) – This was the Senate version of VAWA that dramatically expanded the unconstitutional program to include a number of social engineering provisions and violations of due process. It passed with only 87 GOP votes.
- Battlefield preservation pork (HR 1033 4/9/13) – This was a random Democrat suspension bill to give money to states for the purpose of buying up more land. It passed with less than half of Republican members.
- Obamacare pre-existing conditions program (HR 1549 4/25/13) – to pump $4 billion into Obamacare’s federally managed and manipulated high-risk pool for those with pre-existing conditions. The bill was pulled from the floor at the last minute due to a mass revolt within the conference.
- October CR Funding Obamacare and Raising Debt Ceiling RC#550, 10/16/13) – Passed with only 87 Republicans supporting it.
- February 2014 Debt ceiling increase RC# 61 (2/11/14) – Passed under suspension with just 29 GOP votes
- Doc Fix extension with phony spending offsets (3/28/14). Passed by voice vote despite conservative opposition.
This end-run around the majority was perpetrated by all leaders. This includes Cantor and McCarthy. Cantor is openly flaunting his disenfranchisement of conservative voters. Any effort to elect the same leadership slate for next Congress will only serve to disenfranchise the conservative voters who elected a GOP majority. It’s time we get commitments from all members and candidates as to whether they will join the effort to replace the current leadership.
Ask yourselves this question: with hundreds of millions of dollars behind the effort to pass amnesty and comprehensive open borders legislation, will these leaders think twice about passing amnesty with Democrat support?
That’s why primaries are so important. #PrimariesMatter