Dec.27

electoral-vote.com

Dem 47

   

GOP 53

In Congress: Johnson Puts Up a Record-Breaking Performance

In 2025, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) was responsible for a number of historic feats. Though not in a good way, mind you.

To start with, the House managed to pass fewer bills than in any first-year-of-a-presidency in modern American history (it used to be that a new session of Congress did not meet until December of its first year, which left rather little time for legislating; that schedule changed in the 1930s). As a result of the House's general inaction, only 38 bills managed to become law. Basically, it's the BBB, the Epstein bill, a few kicking-the-can budget resolutions, and a bunch of bills renaming post offices. By contrast, almost 80 bills became law in the first year of Trump v1.0.

The House also held fewer votes—362—than in any other year of the 21st century. By contrast, the folks over in the Senate were busy beavers, holding 659 votes. Virtually all of those were votes on Donald Trump's nominations for various executive branch and judicial posts. If not for holding the power to advise and consent on nominees, the Senate would have virtually nothing to do.

The lower chamber is also on pace for a record number of retirements, at least for the current century. There are 25 Republicans who have already announced plans to stand down; the record for the GOP is 42 (in 2018). There are also 19 Democrats who are heading for the exit; the record for them is 37 (in 2022). We'll know a lot more in January, as there's usually a wave of retirements after members return from the holidays, with their reminder of what life was like before they had to be in Washington all the time.

It is not at all difficult to figure out the basic dynamics that gave rise to these various trends (which are somewhat mutually reinforcing):

• American politics is particularly bitter and divisive right now, and members are subject to constant verbal abuse (not to mention fears of physical assault).
  
  
• In both chambers, but particularly the House, the majority's margin is razor-thin, and just a few defections is fatal. Aisle-crossing is not completely dead, but it's mostly dead.
  
  
• Johnson's "leadership" qualities are in dispute. His Trump-lapdog status is not, and many members resent the Speaker's lack of independence.
  
  
• Trump has little interest in legislating, and prefers to "govern" by executive order.
  
  
• This year includes the longest shutdown in American history.

Maybe things will get better in 2026, but with these same dynamics still in play, and with the messy fight over the budget coming up, we wouldn't bet on it. And then, if the Democrats take either chamber, and we have a divided government as of 2027, things will REALLY grind to a halt. All that one can really hope for is that utter dysfunction eventually provides momentum for some sort of meaningful change. (Z)