ROTTEN EGGS
THE CULTURE WAR HIDING INSIDE THE HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Breaking news, folks! The House appropriations bills are hiding a culture war, and it's not pretty. It's like finding a rotten egg in your omelette. You didn't expect it, and it definitely doesn't smell good.
House Republicans are using the federal funding process to push their conservative agenda by sneaking in policy riders into bills that fund various federal agencies. These riders are like Trojan horses, hiding their true intentions until it's too late.
But what are these riders, you ask? Well, hold onto your hats because they're a doozy. They seek to undermine federal environmental and diversity policies by banning drag performances and Pride flags at federal facilities, prohibiting environmental justice initiatives, and restricting abortion access and transgender health care for military personnel. It's like they're trying to turn back the clock on progress.
Now, you might be thinking, "Surely these riders are unpopular and controversial." And you'd be right! They're about as popular as a root canal. The appropriations process is supposed to be a bipartisan compromise to keep the government running, not a tool for pushing a political agenda.
Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy nonprofit, is part of the Clean Budget Coalition, an alliance of more than 100 groups that oppose these riders. And let me tell you, they're not taking this lying down.
Let's take a closer look at some of these riders and their potential impacts. First up, we have one that cuts medical care. Because who needs access to healthcare anyway? Next, we have one that weakens energy efficiency standards. Because who needs clean air and water? Then there's one that keeps cigarettes high in nicotine. Because who needs healthy lungs? And let's not forget the one that blocks climate action. Because who needs a habitable planet? Last but not least, we have one that limits scientific research. Because who needs facts?
It's like House Republicans are playing a game of "how many terrible things can we do in one appropriations bill?" It's like they're trying to win a prize for being the worst.
In conclusion, these policy riders are like the rotten eggs in your omelette. They stink, they're unwelcome, and they ruin everything. Let's hope that the Clean Budget Coalition can put an end to this culture war hiding inside the House appropriations bills. Otherwise, we'll all be left holding our noses.
THE DEFT DIVE
House funding bills hide a culture war https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4061140-house-republicans-culture-war-riders-appropriations-bills/
- The article argues that House Republicans are using the federal funding process to advance their conservative agenda by inserting policy riders into the bills that fund various federal agencies.
- These riders seek to undermine federal environmental and diversity policies, such as banning drag performances and Pride flags at federal facilities, prohibiting environmental justice initiatives, and restricting abortion access and transgender health care for military personnel.
- The article claims that these riders are unpopular and controversial, and that they are a misuse of the appropriations process, which is supposed to be a bipartisan compromise to keep the government running.
- The article cites Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy nonprofit, who is part of the Clean Budget Coalition, an alliance of more than 100 groups that oppose these riders.
- The article gives five examples of these riders and their potential impacts, such as cutting medical care, weakening energy efficiency standards, keeping cigarettes high in nicotine, blocking climate action, and limiting scientific research.
Source: Conversation with Bing, 6/23/2023
(1) House funding bills hide a culture war - The Hill. https://thehill.com/homenews/house/4061140-house-republicans-culture-war-riders-appropriations-bills/.
(2) 5 things to know about the culture war hiding inside House appropriations bills. https://www.yahoo.com/news/5-things-know-culture-war-215151976.html.
(3) 5 things to know about the culture war hiding inside House ... - MSN. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/5-things-to-know-about-the-culture-war-hiding-inside-house-appropriations-bills/ar-AA1cT4XG.
