The Christmas CR

The House and Senate have passed a clean continuing resolution that will fund the government for another month and leave our worries behind us by kicking the can in front of us. Or something.

The failure to resolve so many issues left bruised feelings in both parties. Promised bills to shield young immigrants from deportation, extend a surveillance program, bolster the military and stabilize health insurance markets were all left for another day.

Representative Nita M. Lowey of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, declared the stopgap bill to be an “epic failure of governing.”

But the disappointment was not enough to keep Congress away from its holiday break.

Well, its Christmas so this CR beats CPR.

Let me highlight this:

The House passed the bill 231 to 188, with most Republicans voting for it and most Democrats opposing it. The Senate later gave its approval, as well, in a 66-to-32 vote.

"Most" House Democrats opposed it, which means some supported it. And we are all well aware that the Republicans don't have 66 Senators. SO - a bipartisan triumph (Can't spell "Triumph" without "T-r-u-m-p) and Washington is working again! Merry Christmas!

 

Comments

[daddy]

The Economist puts the finishing touches on its beclowning;
France; Country of the Year.

That column made about as much sense as nominating a vegetable of the year. Here, let me redo a bit of it:

EVERY Christmas since 2013 The Economist has picked a “ country vegetable of the year”. Rogue nation's produce is not eligible, no matter how much they frighten people. (Sorry, Malaysian Durian:(

We look for a countries Vegetable of any size that has changed notably for the better in the past 12 months, or made the world brighter.

We make mistakes. In 2015 we picked Myanmar's eggplant, for moving towards “something resembling democracy spreadability. We acknowledged that its treatment of the Rohingya minority antipasto plate in the Myanmar Olive Garden was disgraceful.

Another candidate is Argentina's Agave Cactus where President Mauricio Macri is enacting painful reforms to restore sobriety after years of spendthrift Mojito populism around the Kirchner family table.

In the end our shortlist came down to South Korea's fermented cabbage and France's white asparagus. South Korea has had an extraordinary year, enduring threats from its grass eating northern neighbour with calm and grace. This is not entirely new—North Korea's grass eaters have been vowing to immolate the South for decades—but tensions rose alarmingly this year, as President Donald Trump deferred Kimchee eating, then overfed Japanese Koi fish with bean curd flakes as Kim Jong Un called Trump a “mentally deranged US dotard" who likes "Taco Bowls, sans guacamole."

But France elected as President the Jupiterian Mr Macron who loved intimate salads with his French Teacher in Junior High School and who campaigned for a France that confronted the drawbridge-raisers head on and beat them like egg's in a soufflé, flavored with truffles and sautéed stalks. So for that, and for Monet's uplifting painting from 1880, we pronounce France's White Asparagus as vegetable of the Year.

[$28 a month! Winning!]

"SO - a bipartisan triumph (Can't spell "Triumph" without "T-r-u-m-p) and Washington is working again! Merry Christmas"

I feel like I'm in a dream sequence in a movie where the protagonists are all unaware of a monster right in front of them.

Are you going to tell the American people or are we?

You just gave the richest folks in this country an enormous,sickening,disturbing amount of wealth they really didn't need and now it's time to pay the bill.

Are you going to tell them or are we?

[GUS]

Fuck you and your dead Mommy prick.

[GUS]

Daddy, I'm having white asparaGUS, with tenderloins of FRAZIER, for my New Years Eve feast.
God bless my brother.

[daddy]

Manet. Geebus@#$%^

[daddy]

Well, its Christmas so this CR beats CPR.

LOL, TM. Ha!

[anonamom]

Oh, okay - it was such a nice evening that I barely noticed - uh, alright commented - when she drove up in a new 2018 Jaguar XJL.

I'm proud of you Beasts! You are giving your girls a huge gift by continuing to have a civil relationship with their momma.

This may make you feel better: Ever since I was a young woman, I have lusted after Jaguars. I found them to be beautiful, elegant cars. Of course, what we needed around here was a minivan...

Then, when It got to the point where I could be completely justified in getting myself a car that didn't need to haul red-clay encrusted "student athletes," I found Jaguars now looked like Ford Tauruses!

WTH happened to them?
(Ford did own them at one time, right? I guess that is what happened to them!)

So, not having really paid attention to them now for a good decade, I Googled the model that was in your driveway yesterday evening, assuming things had improved---and I'm telling you, it still looks like a Ford Taurus to me. Totally lacking in whatever it was it had all those many years.

If she wants to spend that kind of money on that car--and it is her money now, right??---so be it. Because from a distance, it looks like she's driving a Taurus.

(Not that there's anything wrong with a Taurus! We rented them for years and years and I was very happy with them! Way better than GM cars for a very long time, sadly, for the good people of Flint, Saginaw and Lansing, Michigan.)

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/12/21/oh-dear-trail-of-russian-dossier-origination-now-directly-leads-to-the-obama-white-house/

In an effort to go back to sleep I read this long article by Sundance.He's made a very good case that the trail leads to the White House.

Also of interest in a video in the comments of election night, in which Richard Engel of NBC pretty much lays out (as a prediction or analysis) the exact game plan we saw unfold over the last year, including hints of impeachment.

Now, of course, I am wide awake.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/dec/17/nancy-pelosis-super-pac-keeps-donations-from-backp/

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Article I posted above at 4:16 indicates Pelosi takes donations from a site that is a hub for sex trafficking.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-blocking-property-persons-involved-serious-human-rights-abuse-corruption/

This is the executive order signed by President Trump yesterday.

https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/sanctions/OFAC-Enforcement/Pages/20171221.aspx

This has the list of names.

[anonamom]

MM, I was awake from 1:30 on last night; I was thrilled to sleep til 3 today. As you note--WIDE AWAKE.
I'm just going to roll with it.

And read some blogs

Scott Adams' latest post:

http://blog.dilbert.com/2017/12/22/determine-talk-politics-public/#more-16717

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

TrumpSoldier‏ @DaveNYviii

Mitch McConnell December 21st, 2017 Senate Confirmation Blitz!
An unopposed Mitch McConnell confirms 27 Trump nominees in less than 13 minutes. https://youtu.be/uga1kE81TKo via @YouTube
==================
How did THIS happen?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

anonamom,

I wouldn't care if I didn't foresee that I will be tired later today. My granddaughter is hope from DePauw and wants to do laundry here because their dryer is broken. So she will be here around 8:30 which means I can't go back to bed.

Guess I will go make myself a cup of coffee and start the day.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

This is the guy who has been on Twitter accusing the President of being a narcissistic authoritarian.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/09/cia-director-reveals-he-was-once-a-communist-sympathizer.html

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/fbis-top-lawyer-said-to-be-reassigned/2017/12/21/2ac76640-e6b5-11e7-833f-155031558ff4_story.html?utm_term=.362bf96a9569

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/268789/sebastian-gorka-maga-insurgency-frontpagemagcom

[Clarice Feldman]

https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/943988810702041088.html
Maybe some explanation of yesterday's EO

[Clarice Feldman]

And more on the same subject:https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/943929982363062272.html

[Clarice Feldman]

A little background on the just reassigned James Baker:https://www.circa.com/story/2017/07/27/politics/a-top-fbi-lawyer-is-allegedly-under-an-investigation-for-leaking-classified-information-to-the-media

[Clarice Feldman]

https://pjmedia.com/rogerlsimon/remaining-nevertrumpers-apologize-now/

Why the never trumpers should apologize

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Clarice,

Thanks for posting those threads. I ran across that researcher yesterday but couldn't find a coherent thread to post.

No one will ever convince me that President Trump didn't know a lot of this stuff when he decided to run. Of coursenot all of it, but it is obvious to me that he pays attention to little things and connects dots very quickly. Maybe because it is because he had to deal with a lot of moving parts when building hotels and apartment buildings.

I believe he laid this out to the people who were asked to join his cabiet. Mattis came out of retirement. Tillerson left Exxon at the height of his career. Ross is in his 80's and didn't need long work dayas in Washington. Mnuchin gave up a lucrative financial position. Pompeo, Zincke, Mullvaney and Pruitt were successful Congressmen. Sessions was in a safe Senate seat with seniority. Rick Perry, who had every right to be resentful after the primaries, signed on.

None of these people needed a cabient position to add to their impressive credentials. Why did they do it?

The only reasonable explanation (unless you believe Trump has some magical hypnotic powers) is that he explained to them how serious the situation was and how much the country needed them.

It's sort of like the Justice League of America in real life. Sounds corny, I know, but that's what it reminds me of. (I was a huge comic book reader when I was a kid.)

[Clarice Feldman]

Beautiful, MM

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://dailycaller.com/2017/12/21/christmas-bomb-cyclone-set-to-dump-a-foot-of-snow-over-northeast-us/?utm_campaign=atdailycaller&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social

Weather warning for thse of you in the northeast.

By the way, who is coming up with all of these new scary weather terms like polar vortex and bomb cyclone? In the old days "big snowstorm" was good enough.

[hoyden]

MM, how much more funding they get by using scare words to describe ordinary weather events.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

hoyden,

You are probably right. I can only attribute my not thinking of that reason to my lack of sleep. LOL!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://nypost.com/2017/12/18/now-this-is-presidential-obstruction/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=NYPTwitter&utm_medium=SocialFlow

[daddy]

21 December 2017 Mitch McConnell confirms 27 Trump nominees in less than 13 minutes

Yip, yip, yip, yip, yippie!!!

Thanks for that astounding great news, Miss Marple.

[daddy]

Miss Marple,

I can't open your 05:02 WaPo story. If its easy can you do a quick paste of who the Top reassigned FBI Lawyer is?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

daddy,

"The FBI’s top lawyer, James Baker, is being reassigned — one of the first moves by new director Christopher A. Wray to assemble his own team of senior advisers as he tries to fend off accusations of politicization within the bureau.

Baker told colleagues he will be taking on other duties at the FBI, according to people familiar with the matter. In recent months, Baker had been caught up in a strange interagency dispute that led to a leak probe and attracted the attention of senior lawmakers, but people familiar with the matter said the probe had recently ended with a decision not to charge anyone. The leak issue had not played a part in Baker’s reassignment, these people said."
---------------------------

Someone on Twitter pointed out that Wray did NOT mention him when he was praising other career people in the agency during Congressional testimony.

[daddy]

Thanks, Miss Marple.

Clarice's 05:41 adds good background. Off to bed now but already the folks just waking up will have plenty of good reading. Cheerio.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://patch.com/connecticut/newcanaan/joe-scarboroughs-new-canaan-house-market

Moving to a low tax state?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-year-for-trump-and-gop-lawmakers-rocky-start-smooth-finish-1513944001

The first part of this is pretty positive, followed by about 10 paragraphs rehashing complaints about tweets, style, etc. and a bunch of dem complaints.

[Clarice Feldman]

Looks like the HR office of the FBI is rapidly filling up.

[Robin, eff 'em all]

Woot for big snow bombs! My favorite childhood memory was when I was my daughter’s age now, 11. We had a Christmas Eve party - a mix of neighbors, friends, and family - and it started snowing hard just as the first guests arrived. This being the 70’s, no one had 4-wheel drive, yet everyone ventured out anyway.

It must have snowed 1-2” per hour, because all the kids spent the entire evening outside, and by the time the adults emerged to start digging out cars, we had created a fort and a mass of snowballs which one brave kid then lobbed into the mass of men. They then dropped everything to engage in an epic snow battle, which ultimately led to more than one bloody nose and younger kids running for the house.

It was awesome. I might have to hold an impromptu party if the weather forecast holds.

[Robin, eff 'em all]

$28 - thanks for the book recommendation- my son wanted to get her a photography book and that looks like a good place to start.

Thank you again for all the help with the camera question!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Mark Knoller
‏Verified account @markknoller
6m6 minutes ago

It's get-away day at the WH. Pres Trump leaves this morning to spend Christmas week at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. During previous 9 visits, he's spent all or part of 34 days there.

[Another Bob]

MM, Hoyden, that annoys me too.

I blame the Weather Channel, an outfit that seems more interested in making itself the center of the weather universe than simply being a reliable source of weather information.

I think they spout their meteorologist slang (if it's simply not made up out of thin air) to sound important, which gives license to every TV weather person to do the same.

And I'd like to ban forever this idiotic naming of winter storms they started. And the people who invented the idea.

"And now, the latest on Intermittent Shower Jeremy..."

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Clarice,

"HR office of the FBI rapidly filling up."

This is pretty funny but also true.

By the way, the HR people are now saddled with "the place where dirty cops are sent." I don't imagine that makes them too happy.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Back in a bit. I have to get some stuff done before my granddaughter shows up to do her college laundrry (her dryer at her home isn't working).

[Captain Hate]

I'm proud of you Beasts! You are giving your girls a huge gift by continuing to have a civil relationship with their momma

Amen to this. People who spitefully use their children as pawns in working out issues with a former spouse are horrible parents with skewed priorities.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
4m4 minutes ago

Our big and very popular Tax Cut and Reform Bill has taken on an unexpected new source of “love” - that is big companies and corporations showering their workers with bonuses. This is a phenomenon that nobody even thought of, and now it is the rage. Merry Christmas!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Sarah Sanders
‏Verified account @PressSec
3m3 minutes ago

What an amazing year: booming economy, tax cuts, ISIS on the run, stronger military. Whether his critics like it or not, America has turned a corner and this President is making America great again.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Fox News‏Verified account @FoxNews

.@IvankaTrump: "The average American family can't come up with $400 in the event of an emergency, and my father is committed to changing that."

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
3m3 minutes ago

So true!

[Buckeye]

If you haven't read Clarices's links this morning, please do.

I want to amend what I have said in the past about Hillary and a brickwall and a blindfold.

She doesn't deserve a blindfold.

[Captain Hate]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/sportscaster-dick-enberg-found-dead-at-home-at-age-82/ar-BBH8qa2?OCID=ansmsnnews11

[Janet 🚬]

MM's 4:10 -

maggiemoowho says:
December 22, 2017 at 3:25 am

Fast forward this video of election night to 6:31:12 and listen to what Richard Engel says about what will happen if Trump wins. Engel knew the Clinton/Obama plan to take Trump out if he would win. Richard Engel went to Russia to speak to supposed hackers in October of 2016. I think he was in on this Clinton/Obama criminal activity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=23094&v=X6Q8fn8stkM

[Buckeye]

RIP Dick Enberg.

One of the sportscasters who usually knew what he was talking about.

Not necessarily a common trait these days.

[Captain Hate]

Janet, thanks for mentioning that. In retrospect that clip is incredible in that F Chuck is the only one who gets what the voters wanted; Brokaw a little bit but he's frankly embarrassing. If anyone doubted how worthless Nicole Wallace has proven to be, that clip nails it. Unbelievable that the RNC idiots put her in a position of responsibility.

[Buckeye]

Agree with your conclusion Janet.

Engel knew about the Clinton/Obama plan because he was one of their lackeys.

[narciso]

'Norma desmond' she's trapped inn a smaller mime box than Megyn. Ot wth happened to ge?

[Buckeye]

@IvankaTrump: "The average American family can't come up with $400 in the event of an emergency, and my father is committed to changing that."

I wholeheartedly support the President's efforts to improve the economy and increase opportunities for all Americans to improve their lot.

But this statement about the inability to come up with $400 in an emergency is also an indictment of our culture. The live for the moment, temporary, instant gratification mentality leaves people vulnerable and mostly dependent.

Kinda right where a lefty gummint wants them.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Dick Enberg dead?
Oh my!
I always liked him.

[narciso]

The 'bombshell' rocky unearthed re the bell was the most forced confession since the stAlinist purge,

Koslovsky of lurk used no code left in the dnc servers they had hacked Russian govt installations however two years before they were nabbed.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Jaguar sedans have lost a bit of style but that happened mostly after Ford had sold Jag.
Even the XK has that unfortunate Taurus grill.
Get yourself an F Type, anonamom. They're rather attractive in a non Ford way.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

" But in this case, the Strzok plot may in fact be operating before our very eyes. It's called the Mueller Russia probe."

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/12/questions_for_mr_strzok.html

IMO, the word MAY should be changed to IS.

[Buckeye]

Janet, thanks for mentioning that. In retrospect that clip is incredible in that F Chuck is the only one who gets what the voters wanted;

The Republican establishment also figured out that their base wanted something different than what they were selling.

For the most part they have been pouting ever since.

A couple more years of Trump taking them to the woodshed for a well deserved thrashing may fix that.

[Beasts of England]

Thank you, anonamom (and Captain)! We get along disarmingly well, but even years ago in the heat of the battle, we were always civil and pleasant while doing the kiddo events. She sent me a nice text after dinner, specifically noting that I had remembered her horseradish and also made her favorite gremolata for the asparagus. I'm such a darned nice guy... ;)

p.s., I drive an XJL, too.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

More names and companies have been added to that sanctions list that Clarice and I referenced up thread:

https://americandigitalnews.com/2017/12/22/us-sanctions-human-rights-abusers-corrupt-actors-across-globe/#.Wj0R3ZdG3ct

[Captain Hate]

Beasts, I think you've provided adequate data for why getting your ashes hauled isn't a problem.

[Captain Hate]

Buckeye, having those quislings on the run is the greatest thing ever. Like the Berlin Wall falling again!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
1h1 hour ago

At some point, and for the good of the country, I predict we will start working with the Democrats in a Bipartisan fashion. Infrastructure would be a perfect place to start. After having foolishly spent $7 trillion in the Middle East, it is time to start rebuilding our country!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
7m7 minutes ago

“The President has accomplished some absolutely historic things during this past year.” Thank you Charlie Kirk of Turning Points USA. Sadly, the Fake Mainstream Media will NEVER talk about our accomplishments in their end of year reviews. We are compiling a long & beautiful list.

[JimNorCal]

Timeline updated with new events
http://directorblue.blogspot.com/2017/12/a-timeline-of-treason-how-fbi.html?m=1

[Appalled]

Unpopular observation, which, if widely accepted, will drive Steve Bannon to drink. (Appearances do suggest that's a short trip.)

When Trump has been successful in areas whre he needs Congressional help (Gorsuch, judges, taxes), it has been because he and Mitch M have worked together, and Mitch M has worked some of his strategic magic. For example, the repeal of the mandate was not in the house bill, but all sorts of unnecessary push Grandma from the cliff provisions were. Once the bill passed the Senate, the inflammatory nonsense was out, and effective Obamacare repeal was snuck in.

Mitch and Trump can make an effective team, if they can keep from sniping at each other. Whether that involves Mitch listening to Trump, or Trump listening to Mitch, or just the two not undercutting each other, we don't really know.

[James D.]

Buckeye @ 8:57

I don’t think any amount of thrashing (or anything else) will fix most of the GOPe.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Appalled,

To a certain extent I would agree (don't faint) but I think it resulted from both Trump getting rid of Bannon, who sees the Uniparty as an enemy, and McConnell seeing that success would rebound to his benefit. I think also they learned how to work together.

Bannon is pretty smart but is single minded. I also don't think he's prone to drink, which is what you inferred.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

I have a theory which may or may not make sense.
Establishments defend themselves. Insurgents who want to overturn the old order and become the Establishment themselves go on offense.

The GOP in all its forms for decades represented the Establishment. So naturally it played defense.
As the left took over institution after institution it gradually has become the Establishment. The rump party of the old GOP that is mired in DC functions as a part of that Establishment.

In light of that is Trump a one-off or is he the first of an inevitable line of offensive conservative/libertarian/populist insurgents as the polarity slowly reverses between the political poles and the progs defend the turf they won as they marched through the institutions and the "right" for want of a better term finds itself on the outside looking in at what was stolen from it?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

ςｻi⃘lིlི
‏ @chiIIum
4m4 minutes ago

SMALLER GOVERNMENT: Over 200 scientists, 96 environmental “specialists”, as well as nine department directors, have left the EPA.

The majority of the employees will not be replaced.

[simply stupid]

and to think that Trump is Hitler and that Bannon and the alt-right is antisemitic. is it not grand that Trump is our neighborhood bully courtesy of our Nobel laureate who would not accepted the prize except for his money blues https://vimeo.com/101836593

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Oregon's Ron Wyden Weighs In On Roy Moore - KXL
www.kxl.com/oregons-ron-wyden-weighs-roy-moore/
Nov 16, 2017 - Washington DC – Oregon Senator Ron Wyden appeared on CNN this morning and was asked about Roy Moore, the embattled Republican U.S. Senate candidate from Alabama. Wyden said ” I believe the women and I don't think this person is morally fit to serve in the United States Senate. I can't be any .

from the link that MM put up at 05:01 AM this morning. http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/09/cia-director-reveals-he-was-once-a-communist-sympathizer.

"“I really am not interested in how the CIA director voted decades ago,” Oregon senator Ron Wyden told BuzzFeed, while leaving a Senate Intelligence Committee briefing Thursday."

IMO, the above sentence tells us that Senator Ron Wyden is not qualified to set upon the Senate Intelligence Committee.

[Clarice Feldman]

Iggy, I think that's largely right.

[Beasts of England]

lol, Captain!!

[Appalled]

Miss M:

Rumor on the left is rife that he must be a drunk, because of his disheveled appearance and his rosacea. In case you are wondering the source of that crack...He does look like that drunk guy in the movies who quotes Shakespeare and Kant before falling into the trash can.

But in seriousness, Trump may have to have some kind of reckoning with Bannon, if he decides he needs McConnell.

[sbw]

Newth read.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Appalled,

Rosacea is not caused by drinking, although it can aggravate it, along with dry air, cold weather and other things.

My sister has rosacea. She rarely drinks. Rosacea is common in older people with fair skin.

I have seen no evidence that Bannon is a heavy drinker and in fact, I believe he doesn't drink at all.

Judging on appearances is a very bad idea.

[simply stupid]

Appalled to paraphrase Miss Marple look to the Art of the deal. The freedom caucus was always the bane the GOPe since they sided with the democrats to stymie Boehner and Ryan. It helped in getting Bratt in instead of Cantor and throwing a monkey wrench in the GOPe and Rubio giving into the democrats on immigration.
Trump knows that the freedom caucus and pragmatic and would sign on to tax cuts even with out entitlement reform. It was a switcheroo to democratic tactics of getting something now with promise of doing something later (entitlement reform).
Republicans having control of congress and presidency made shutdown a joke only from point of stopping profligate spending. The freedom caucus gave way on that to get tax cuts and now the democrats are screwed since their only retort is that the freedom caucus are lkiars as to being fiscal hawks. Meanwhile they showed their cards with DACA and Trump has thron in live grenades by pulling the pin on the mandates and reversing the unconstitutional Obama DaCa doctrine. How well do you think chain migration is polling?

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

JimNorCal great link @ o9:28. IMO every one should read it including the comments.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

For the $28 poster.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-20/credit-card-debt-suddenly-surges-18-us-consumers-pre-spend-tax-relief-savings

Apparently many were happy that they were going to get something.

[JimNorCal]

McConnell has helped on the tax bill and by confirming judges.
But I think there are some big successes in the Departments due to the Cabinet members.
So not just McConnell

[DebinGA]

After the tax vote, a look at upcoming 2018 Senate races after Dems like Manchin and McCaskill followed Schumer over the cliff. Also, by AZ law, McCain's R-Gov appointed replacement must be of the same party.