By: The Editorial Board – wsj.com – February 26, 2025

Democrats and Republican Thomas Massie endorsed a $4.5 trillion tax increase by voting against the budget resolution.

The House’s budget resolution passed 217-215, and not without some last-minute drama. But Mr. Johnson and President Trump persuaded the last few grumblers, after weeks of negotiating with competing GOP factions, from moderates to the House Freedom caucus. GOP Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky voted no, as he always seems to do to no good purpose.

The budget bill is crucial for unlocking the reconciliation process that will allow a bill to pass the Senate with 51 votes. That’s the only route to extending the 2017 tax cuts. No doubt Mr. Johnson will have to work several more Houdini tricks to bridge differences over policy and parochial interests to get a final bill passed.

But a GOP failure would mean a $4.5 trillion tax increase and zero spending restraint. The expanded standard deduction would revert to roughly $16,000 for married couples, from about $30,000 now. The blue-state subsidy spigot known as the state-and-local tax deduction would return in full. The small business deduction would go poof. National defense also wouldn’t get a much-needed cash infusion of at least $100 billion. All of that is what Rep. Massie and Democrats endorsed on Tuesday night when they voted no on the budget resolutions.

Democrats under Nancy Pelosi understood that governing with narrow majorities requires unity. Maybe Republicans are starting to absorb that lesson.

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Source: The House GOP Hangs Together – WSJ