"Regulations Die Quietly in Republican Hands"

Republicans plot a regulatory coup: gutting federal oversight, empowering extremists, and handing Trump unchecked power—this isn't governance, it's a full-blown demolition of democracy.

Let me break this masterclass of stupidity down for you. If you thought Donald Trump and his sycophants couldn’t possibly find another way to light the Constitution on fire and dance around the ashes, think again. The latest assault on American governance isn’t coming from Truth Social rants or pillow-hugging lunatics; it’s coming from within the hallowed halls of Congress. It’s called the REINS Act, and if you haven’t heard of it yet, here you go. This isn’t just a bad idea; it’s a kamikaze dive into authoritarianism, cloaked in the language of “accountability.”

Let’s be clear: this isn’t about reigning in bloated bureaucracy or holding unelected regulators accountable. No. This is about gutting the federal government from the inside out, neutering every single agency that keeps our air clean, our banks honest, our food safe, and our economy from crashing and burning every time a billionaire hedge fund sneezes. And the timing? Impeccable. Just in time for King Chaos; Donald Trump himself, to issue more executive orders.

You want to know what the REINS Act really is? It’s the legislative equivalent of giving a loaded gun to Congress and pointing it at every federal rule that dares to stand in the way of corporate greed, oil spills, or environmental annihilation.

Here’s how this little Trojan horse works: under the REINS Act; short for “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny” (cute, right?); any major federal regulation, defined as one with an economic impact over $100 million, would need explicit approval from Congress before taking effect. That’s right; no more agencies doing their job without first kissing the ring of a Congress that can’t even pass a budget on time. And don’t miss this kicker: any existing rules not re-approved? Poof. Automatically terminated. Sunsetted. Erased like a mob ledger after a bust.

And who are the masterminds behind this legislative hit job? Rand Paul; Trump’s libertarian mini-me, along with Rep. Kat Cammack and Sen. Mike Lee, the self-proclaimed constitutional purist whose idea of “freedom” involves letting coal plants poison your kids without asking permission first. They’ve spent the past year obsessing over parliamentary procedure like it’s the Super Bowl, gaming out how to slip this monstrosity through the reconciliation process so they can bypass a Democratic filibuster. Their words, not mine: “The trick is to get it through the Byrd bath.” Translation: just scrub the language enough so it can sneak through the Senate under the guise of a fiscal bill.

Mike Johnson, the House Speaker and human gavel with a God complex, couldn’t hide his glee when asked if he wanted this in the final package. “I sure hope so!” he barked. Of course he does. Johnson is the same guy who helped engineer the 2020 election denial strategy. You think he cares about balanced governance?

Even Senate Republicans like Todd Young and John Kennedy; who should know better, are applauding this as a “splendid idea.” Yeah, it’s splendid if your goal is to blow up 100 years of federal protections so your donors can rake in a few extra billion and maybe frack a national park while they’re at it.

And let’s talk about the Democrats here for a moment. During the House Judiciary deliberations? Crickets. Barely a fight. I don’t know if they’re asleep at the wheel or just afraid to take on the monster head-on, but newsflash: you don’t beat fascism by politely disagreeing on CNN or MSNBC. You beat it by calling it what it is.

Senator Dick Durbin called it “a war on regulations.” Damn right it is. This isn’t deregulation; it’s deregime. It’s the conservative dream of burning down the administrative state, one agency at a time. And if you think Trump won’t use this tool like a sledgehammer, you haven’t been paying attention. His allies are lining the runway, and the REINS Act is their legislative jet fuel.

And don’t let the supposed “moderates” like Lisa Murkowski or Susan Collins fool you either. They’re playing the same game; waffling, hand-wringing, and refusing to say where they stand until it’s too damn late. “Familiar with the bill” isn’t a position, it’s a dodge.

So let’s not mince words. The REINS Act is not reform; it’s revenge. Revenge on a government that dared to regulate big oil, Wall Street, health care profiteers, and anyone else whose bottom line took a hit under rules written to protect you. And if it passes, Trump’s remaining time in office won’t just be dangerous; it’ll be unregulated, unchecked, and unleashed.

You want to stop it? Get active. Get into the fight. Call your senator, scream from the rooftops, and don’t let this get buried in some 500-page budget bill. Because the REINS Act isn’t just bad policy; it’s the legislative embodiment of Trumpism. And if you give them this power, they will use it.

Count on it.

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