Johnson is playing a high stakes game of 'Not My Problem. He knows the Senate plan is the only way to keep the lights on, but he’d rather let the shutdown drag out than be the Speaker who got rolled by a bipartisan compromise. It’s the classic D.C. standoff where the goal isn't to govern, it's to not be the first one to blink.
81
kia75Mar 28, 2026
+30
> be the Speaker who got rolled by a bipartisan compromise.
This right here is the biggest problem. The legislative branch is supposed to work together to figure out solutions, but Republicans pride themselves on excluding Democrats and refusing to compromise with them.
30
Purify5Mar 28, 2026
+8
Mike Johnson goes home every night to be the president's footstool.
The man had a breakdown when Congress nearly unanimously passed the Epstein bill.
8
heroman3Mar 28, 2026
+31
Johnson is basically going f*** you I'm not failing my daddy Trump again.
31
Aggressive-Will-4500Mar 28, 2026
+17
Johnson doesn't give a rat's ass about Trump personally, he gets his marching order from a higher power than Trump, the Federalist Society. Trump is just their tool to wreak havoc on the USA and tear it apart into little fiefdoms that can more easily controlled so that public assets can be sold off to their corporate/billionaire overlords.
17
Big_Bookkeeper1678Mar 28, 2026
+10
THERE it is. They want to break us up like the USSR got broken up so that the oligarchs can control what the United States built. Then they can start trying to take over the good parts from the bad parts when things don't go well...like Russia with Ukraine...
10
galaapplehoundMar 28, 2026
+4
It's too bad that Cheetolini has already emptied the coffers; there will be nothing left for the oligarchs to take.
4
Aggressive-Will-4500Mar 28, 2026
+5
There's ALWAYS more to take. They want to sell off public services, public lands, and public resources.
5
Gunter5Mar 29, 2026
+3
>the Federalist Society
These are the same people who control trump too, if he starts hurting their net worths, all of the sudden all these youtubers, pod casters and legacy media will turn on him
3
Machiavvelli3060Mar 28, 2026
+12
Republicans refuse to end the shutdown.
12
Cheese0089Mar 28, 2026
+3
They know the Democrats care more about the suffering of TSA agents. If the they aren't suffering, then they have no leverage.
3
Machiavvelli3060Mar 28, 2026
+7
They're all about making people suffer, aren't they?
7
TheJadeGoddessMar 28, 2026
+19
Hey Johnson did you ever plan to pass an actual budget? We haven't had an actual budget since Republicans gained control. Years of nothing but continuing resolutions.
19
MoccusMar 28, 2026
+3
Most of the government is currently running off of actual appropriations bills, not continuing resolutions. It's only DHS that they failed to pass an appropriations bill for, which is why it's shut down.
3
ladystaggersMar 28, 2026
+8
"I haven't had a chance to read it yet..."
8
CT_Phipps-AuthorMar 28, 2026
+5
Johnson exists entirely to destroy the House in hopes of making an absolute monarch, regardless of whether the absolute monarch is a moron. In Game of Thrones terms, he's not even Littlefinger, he's Pycelle.
5
stompgobblerMar 28, 2026
+2
Dirty Mike and the boys are at it again
2
AsAboveSoBelow228Mar 29, 2026
+2
Imagine allowing Mike Johnson to represent you. His wife runs a gay conversion therapy operation. He's her version of Frankenstein's Monster.
2
Negative_GravitasMar 28, 2026
+1
The people's house has become the pedophile's house.
1
ImaginationToForm2Mar 28, 2026
+1
He want's to keep blaming Democrats.
1
CrotasScrota84Mar 28, 2026
+1
So which is it?
Trump signed order to pay TSA
House rejecting bill
What is going on?
1
VanguardAvengerMar 28, 2026
+5
So the Big Beautiful Bill gave DHS something like $10 Billion in discretionary funds to spend however theyd like.
Some of that money, per Trumps order is now going to pay TSA (which Trump could have done on day 1 of the shutdown, but decided hed rather just f*** up air travel for a month, based on the belief Dems would cave under the pressure and pass the Republican bill that also gibes even more money to ICE) due to Trump having to surrender to political pressure.
TSA weren't the only people in DHS not getting paid. And Speaker Johnson has just ensured the rest wont.
Hes aware the MAGA base won't turn out for incumbent Republicans in the currently underway primaries if the ICE funding gets cut from the bill.
Johnson is also likely well aware Congressional Republicans don't actually like him. Hes Speaker because hes the guy everyone decided they hated the least, and hes always had a tenuous grasp on the Speakership.
Johnson needs as many incumbent Republicans as possible to believe they owe him a favor in January if he has any hope of remaining the party leader (likely as Minority Leader).
So hes taking steps to ensure that
5
dancingfordatesMar 28, 2026
+5
I disagree. Republican voters don't care if ICE gets more funding.. that is a red herring...
The vast majority of trumpers want cheaper gas, cheaper food. And maybe the media showing people getting hurt and deported and some liberals crying..
Trump is failing on the fiscal front, he will need to apply much more violence against women and children to placate his followers...
5
VanguardAvengerMar 28, 2026
+1
>Republican voters don't care if ICE gets more funding
So thats why I specified the MAGA base, as I do believe theirs a difference.
Theres a ton of folks who voted Republican in 2024, who are also the same folks responsible for Democrats over preforming expectations in all the special elections and in 2025, and will play a role in what appears likely to be a historic ass kicking in 26.
And I suspect its because they did want cheaper gas, cheaper food, no wars, etc.
I also think Johnsons already aware those folks arent going to support Republicans, hence the double down on MAGA to try to save incumbents in primaries and his spot as leader.
>Trump is failing on the fiscal front, he will need to apply much more violence against women and children to placate his followers...
And that's the MAGAts, and they do realize that ICE funding = violence against everyone.
1
dancingfordatesMar 28, 2026
+1
You make a good point. I had not considered protecting his people in the primaries as motivation...
26 Comments