This week, lawmakers returned to Congress in Washington, D.C., after their August recess, and House Speaker Mike Johnson seemed more interested in avoiding work for the American public.

Rep. Johnson, from Louisiana, seemingly serves only Donald Trump as his speaker. In a bid to support the former president’s efforts for a comeback, Johnson is prepared to threaten a government shutdown.

He has slyly included a contentious provision in his proposal to extend government funding until March, inserting one of Trump’s frequent falsehoods – that Democrats depend on illegal votes to win key federal elections – right into the essential operations of government.

In Johnson’s case, this translates to not operating the government effectively.

His intimidation tactics regarding a potential government shutdown have no relevance to the repercussions of funding lapsing on September 30; they are solely focused on the upcoming presidential elections on November 5.

Trump reiterated his earlier demand this Tuesday for Republicans to pursue a government shutdown, absurdly claiming on social media that “DEMOCRATS ARE TRYING TO ‘STUFF’ VOTER REGISTRATIONS WITH ILLEGAL ALIENS.” Have you ever encountered someone sensible typing such things online?

In a CNN appearance on Tuesday, Johnson blindly echoed Trump’s sentiments, despite some of his fellow Republicans distancing themselves from this narrative.

If the House speaker opts to prioritize reckless appeals over effective government management, we should consider withholding his salary. More on that later.

Johnson Promotes the GOP Myth About Voting

Johnson is tying government funding to the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act (SAVE), which would necessitate proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections.

For Americans who may not have immediate access to the required documents needed for registration, particularly those leaning Democratic, this poses a significant barrier.

This proposed legislation is essentially disguised voter suppression under the guise of ensuring election security. It’s a “messaging bill” unlikely to pass in the Democrat-controlled Senate but aims to instill the unfounded and frequently discriminatory belief that Democrats seek to replace American voters with noncitizens.

As noted previously in May, there is no factual support for the belief that noncitizens influence election outcomes.

Moreover, it has been against the law for noncitizens to vote in federal elections since the 1920s, a legal stance reinforced by Congress in 1996 with legislation backed by then-President Bill Clinton.

You might recall Clinton—he’s a Democrat.

Even Some Republicans Are Growing Tired of Johnson

Johnson faces immediate challenges with his plan to amplify Trump’s falsehoods by threatening a shutdown. Many of his fellow Republicans in the House find his tactics unacceptable.

Rep. Cory Mills, a hardline Republican from Florida who backs the SAVE Act, labeled Johnson’s approach as a “farce” on Monday and noted on Fox News that executing the law in the timeframe before the election is impossible.

According to Roll Call, Johnson, who leads with a slim majority in the House, can only lose four Republican votes, yet he has already seen at least five opposing him on linking SAVE to the funding debate. Politico also reported a significant amount of resistance among House Republicans against Johnson’s strategy.

It appears House Republicans are reluctant to be associated with a shutdown just ahead of the elections.

The last government shutdown, from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, cost the U.S. economy $11 billion in losses. It’s a risky prospect for a party that claims to be the more economically savvy one.

Congress Lacks Financial Incentives to Fulfill Its Responsibilities

Rep. Angie Craig, a three-term Democrat from Minnesota, has a solid solution to the lack of accountability members of Congress face during shutdowns. Last year, she reintroduced legislation originally sponsored during her first term in 2019. The bill proposes that House and Senate members do not receive any salary during a government shutdown.

Currently, there are no tangible financial repercussions for Congress when they engage in political games related to funding issues.

Unlike the 850,000 federal workers who went unpaid for a lengthy 35-day shutdown, politicians continue to receive their salaries without interruption.

While many were left struggling, lawmakers carried on with their paychecks.

Craig’s proposed legislation, which has been stalled in Republican-led committees for nearly a year, would dock one day of Congressional pay for every day the government is shut down.

To comply with the U.S. Constitution’s 27th Amendment, these withheld wages would only be paid out at the end of their current session in office.

Members of Congress earn an annual salary of $174,000, meaning that for each day of shutdown, they would lose about $475.41 this leap year, at least until their term ends.

However, it’s important to note that their pay is nearly three times the national average for salaries at the close of 2023.

Johnson Acknowledges Republicans Lack Evidence for Their Accusations

Johnson seems unconcerned about what a government shutdown would entail. His leadership seems focused on aligning with Trump. Recently, he proclaimed, “I am in this to win this” despite clear signals from many of his caucus members that success is unlikely.

In May, he hinted at the lack of evidence regarding his claims about the high number of non-citizens participating in federal elections. He stated, “We all know intuitively that a lot of illegals are voting in federal elections. But it’s not something that is easily proven.”

This statement reflects the Trump-Republican narrative surrounding unsubstantiated allegations of election fraud. Though they fail to provide evidence, they cling to their beliefs, which seems to be their priority. The absence of logic and proof does not seem to matter to them.

For Johnson, the potential fallout from a government shutdown and its effects on society and the economy are of little concern. His focus appears solely on fulfilling Trump’s agenda.

Stay updated by following YSL News electoral columnist Chris Brennan on X, previously known as Twitter: @ByChrisBrennan.