Written by Caleb Shepherd.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has been busy defending the controversial spending bill, a move that’s stirred frustration among his fellow conservatives. In a recent interview on Fox & Friends, Johnson outlined his reasoning, explaining that the bill’s primary goal is to fund the government until March. Why March, you ask? According to Johnson, by then, a Republican-controlled Senate and a Trump White House will be ready to make the big fiscal decisions for 2025.

Fox’s Brian Kilmeade opened the discussion, asking Johnson how he planned to address the criticism from Republicans who aren’t thrilled with the bill. Johnson’s response was direct: the plan isn’t perfect, but it’s strategic. “Right now, we only control one half of one third of the federal government,” he reminded everyone, emphasizing that the Senate and the White House are still under Democratic control. With that reality in mind, Johnson argued that a short-term funding measure was the best conservative play.

Rather than handing Democrats the reins for 2025 spending, Johnson said the bill buys time until March 14, when, in his vision, Republicans will hold all the cards. Until then, he sees this stopgap measure as a necessary evil—a move to keep the government running while setting the stage for GOP leadership.

Balancing Emergencies and Politics

Co-host Lawrence Jones pressed Johnson about losing support from both the Freedom Caucus and moderate Republicans like Mike Lawler. Johnson attributed the backlash to what he called the “sausage-making process” of legislation. It’s messy, and this time, the mess included adding emergency funding for hurricanes and farmers—two crises that couldn’t wait.

The historic hurricane season, which devastated multiple states, required $100 billion in recovery funds. On top of that, Johnson highlighted the plight of farmers and ranchers, whose struggles with inflation and Bidenomics have put them on the brink of collapse. According to Johnson, this isn’t just about saving livelihoods; it’s about protecting the national food supply.

“If we crush domestic food supply, that is a direct threat to national security,” he warned, pointing out that Democrats in urban districts don’t seem to grasp the importance of rural agriculture. Johnson made it clear that this funding was non-negotiable, even if it added to the bill’s price tag.

The GOP’s Path Forward

As Johnson wrapped up his explanation, he emphasized that this bill is a temporary measure—a bridge to a future where Republicans can take full control of the budgeting process. While he acknowledged the concerns over government debt and deficits, he assured conservatives that tackling those issues is a top priority for the new Congress in January.

The Speaker’s strategy hinges on a few big assumptions: a Trump victory in 2024, Republican control of the Senate, and enough time to overhaul the government’s size and spending priorities. Whether this gamble will pay off remains to be seen, but Johnson seems confident that this short-term pain will lead to long-term conservative gains.

Our Take

Here’s the problem: Johnson’s plan might sound good on paper, but it hinges on a lot of “ifs.” Banking on a future Republican sweep to fix the nation’s financial woes is a risky move that leaves too much to chance. Meanwhile, adding billions in emergency funding only feeds into the government’s addiction to overspending—an addiction conservatives have long promised to curb.

For the public, this strategy feels like kicking the can down the road. Farmers, ranchers, and hurricane victims need immediate help, sure, but the lack of a sustainable plan leaves taxpayers holding the bag. At some point, Republicans need to stop playing defense and start addressing the root causes of the country’s financial mess. If not, they risk losing credibility with the very voters they’re counting on in 2024.