Staff Reports
In the chaotic world of politics, there’s a guiding principle that every true conservative should hold close—Donald Trump knows what he’s doing. Amidst the tumult of federal spending bills and the ever-looming debt ceiling, it’s essential for conservatives to remember that trusting Trump’s instincts could save them from drowning in the swamp.
The recent defeat of a horrendous spending bill filled with pork has resulted in some conservatives ringing alarm bells about the uncharted waters ahead, particularly regarding Trump’s plans before he officially takes office next month. The debt ceiling, a mechanism established back in 1917 to manage how much the government can borrow, is supposed to act as a safeguard against reckless spending—something that seems to have flown under the radar for the past few decades.
Proposed Replacement for Axed Spending Bill Could Actually Be Even Worse via @WestJournalism https://t.co/hGj9D4zsVM
— David Marney (@DavidMarney) December 20, 2024
Trump’s celebration of the recent spending bill’s defeat is not without concern. He has taken it up a notch by rallying allies like Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to establish the Department of Government Efficiency (affectionately dubbed DOGE). This new task force is expected to whip the sprawling government bureaucracy into shape, focusing on fiscal responsibility, which sounds great unless you’re a politician with a proclivity for spending like it’s Monopoly money.
What Trump has pointedly noticed, however, is that the murky swamp of the debt ceiling is a Democratic quicksand. He has indicated that Republicans should not be passing anything that allows the burden of debt to transfer onto his administration. Instead, he would prefer that Congress tackle the issue of the debt ceiling themselves before he has to get his hands dirty. Trump seems prepared to rip the Band-Aid off by proposing to eliminate the debt ceiling entirely, claiming it’s a sham that merely leads to games of political brinkmanship—something Democrats have turned into an Olympic sport.
However, not all conservatives are on board with lifting the debt ceiling or dismantling it outright. Some notable voices within the party are expressing unease. For instance, Rep. Thomas Massie, a libertarian-minded Republican, has raised a skeptical eyebrow at the idea that a clean continuing resolution, favoring an increase in the debt limit, is what conservatives should aim for after they’ve tossed Speaker McCarthy out for similar sins. His perspective is an important reminder of the shift that has occurred within conservative circles, where some question the wisdom of simply kicking the can down the road.
While there are valid concerns about excessive spending and the legitimacy of the debt ceiling, it is essential to recognize what it entails. The national debt sits north of $36 trillion and continues to rise at an alarming pace. The debt ceiling doesn’t by itself create new spending; it merely defines how much more the government can borrow to fulfill already incurred obligations. But in the twisted logic of Washington, this is often overlooked. The central question remains: should the conservatives rally behind Trump’s radically straightforward approach, or voice their dissent as more of the same approaches from the past rear their ugly heads?
In the grand scheme of things, Trump’s instincts might indeed be what the GOP needs to counteract the legacy of large-scale government debt run amok. As he leads the charge against unnecessary spending and champions efficiency through DOGE, one has to wonder if a bit of unorthodox thought could pave the way for a more prosperous future, free from the fetters of traditional debt management. In this arena of political intrigue, an honest observer might just conclude that trusting Trump’s vision is the smartest move for conservatives navigating the chaotic waters of modern governance.
