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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · 27d

Absolute pleasure being on @c-span.bsky.social Washington Journal this morning to talk about the (likely) government shutdown, what’s happened before, what shutdowns look like, and the ways this time is different

RobertNDouglass🇺🇳🇵🇸🇺🇦🇷🇺🇰🇷🇯🇵 @realantipartisan.bsky.social · 27d

Washington Journal
#CSPAN #CSPANWJ
Skeet at @c-span.bsky.social and cspanwj.bsky.social

Joining Georgetown Uni's Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social on the potential for a #governmentshutdown on 1 October, impact on federal workers and agencies.

WATCH: tinyurl.com/mmfm97s3

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Sep 24

Hugo Black Sabbath

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jun 12

It is symbolic that the House has passed this as HR 4: the majority party gets HR (bill) numbers 1-10 to designate for their party’s policy priorities. Assisting in the executive branch’s unconstitutional undermining of congressional power is quite literally a House Republican conference priority.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jun 12

What is far more significant is that Congress is codifying DOGE cuts that wrested away the congressional power of the purse, most prominently in shutting down USAID.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jun 12

The last time a rescissions package initiated by a President was approved by Congress was for President Clinton; Trump tried and failed in his first term.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jun 12

Passing the $9.4 B rescissions package requested by the White House, the extent of the cuts approved, and the individual cuts themselves, is a telling action for the House. Congress decides to rescind money regularly, but approving Presidential requests is far more rare.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · May 19

www.nytimes.com/live/2025/05...

The fractured House GOP that denied their Speakers a procedural majority last Congress is getting in line. Still plenty of hurdles ahead…

Trump Live Updates: Key House Panel Approves Trump’s Megabill After Conservatives Relent

www.nytimes.com

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Reposted by Laura Blessing

Catherine Rampell @crampell.bsky.social · Apr 4

JFC. So far, Trump has caused markets to lose about 14%.
Here's how the same period to date looks under other recent presidential terms

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Mar 5

An extensive section praising tariffs on the very day that introduced tariffs caused markets to drop significantly (& as the US Economic Policy Uncertainty Index had just risen higher than both the pandemic and Great Recession) is remarkable & commits to pursue policy irrespective of economic effect

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Mar 5

First mention of asking Congress for legislation in the joint session to Congress is a) revealing: comes an hour in, in a speech showing an executive shedding boundaries and b) asks for tax cuts, the Republican policy über alles

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Reposted by Laura Blessing

Vanessa Williamson @vanessawilliamson.bsky.social · Mar 4

The NYT is reporting that the Trump Administration is planning to cut the IRS workforce in half. To do so would cripple the revenue service and therefore the functioning of the U.S. government.

Trump Administration Pushes to Slash I.R.S. Work Force in Half

Losing half of its employees would severely strap the I.R.S., meaning Americans may have to wait longer to receive tax refunds.

www.nytimes.com

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Mar 4

Just gave a talk on floor procedure, am too depressed to add this as an example in future talks. Would love more ridiculous but harmless behavior, a Traficant hairdo and a “beam me up” (ok, bad example given the corruption charges; still)

ringwiss @ringwiss.bsky.social · Feb 8

Update: The presiding officer did not call herself to order (and was not called to order by any other member).

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Mar 4

@stephencolbert.bsky.social Please do a “better know a federal agency” series. So much material; maybe start with @altusaid.altgov.info

Reposted by Laura Blessing

The Upshot @upshot.nytimes.com · Mar 4

Our visual examination of what DOGE has been mostly targeting and mostly leaving alone. www.nytimes.com/interactive/...

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Reposted by Laura Blessing

JD Rackey @jdrackey.bsky.social · Jan 17

I had a blast joining the GAI folks on Congress, Two Beers In to discuss my recent report on congressional primaries and their impacts on member behavior! Fun to be a guest on a pod I’ve long listened to! podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/c...

Congressional Primaries with J.D. Rackey

Podcast Episode · Congress, Two Beers In · 01/17/2025 · 54m

podcasts.apple.com

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jan 6

New GAI “On The Hill” newsletter piece: my two cents on Jimmy Carter. Carter is both more nuanced & more relevant to today than is usually emphasized: in many ways he presages & hurries the turn towards Reaganism

gai.georgetown.edu/signaling-th...

Signaling the Right Turn: How to Understand Jimmy Carter | The Government Affairs Institute

Many political narratives on the late 1970s are incomplete, simplifying a politically complex legacy of President Carter, who died on December 29. Carter is both more nuanced and more relevant to Amer...

gai.georgetown.edu

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jan 4

lol. Just imagine what havoc I’d wreak on Fed 10. Which is too bad; this crowd should recognize that factions can also be no bueno.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jan 3

Giving Congress AI tools without increasing capacity for staff (lots of missed opportunities in the Rules package under consideration), is, as James Madison said, no bueno.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jan 3

Continuing to enjoy the regular @mattngreen.bsky.social Speaker election/opening a new Congress commentary. Never change, CSPAN.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Jan 3

Agreed. Wonder if Norman and Self got anything for flipping votes. This whole episode has been pretty publicly silent on any such negotiations. Not that Chip Roy won’t spout off about his reservations regardless of what happens.

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Dec 12

Absolutely. Looking forward to what he’ll do as an advocate from outside Congress but admittedly bummed to see him go.

Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Dec 12

This is nicely written. Lots of different ideas in here, but institutionalizing ModCom as a permanent committee and the possibility of having its recommendations have assured consideration on the floor are ones I’m most drawn to. I think the leadership of the committee matters- sad to see Kilmer go

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Dec 12

New GAI On The Hill Newsletter piece out: @loreleikelly.bsky.social writes on the mission and successes of the Modernization Committee—and promising potential next steps. gai.georgetown.edu/modernizatio...
This was a pleasure to edit & inspiring to watch my friend Lorelei work on these issues.

Modernization in Congress: Keeping the Momentum Going | The Government Affairs Institute

Guest Post by Lorelei Kelly , Research Faculty Lead on Congressional Modernization at GeoDES, Georgetown Democracy, Education + Service, McCourt School of Public Policy Hidden beneath divisive campaig...

gai.georgetown.edu

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Nov 8

The fact that they’re indistinguishable is what’s so dangerous for democracy & democratic accountability

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Laura Blessing @leblessing.bsky.social · Nov 7

Obviously other things are going on but discussing the win of an authoritarian and his likely policies is not how I’d like to spend my evening.

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