"DAY AHEAD" - My Daily Editorial Note
July 1, 2026
We’re waking up to a uniquely – if not historically - negligent Washington.
Imagine if your kids skipped their chores, ignored their homework, made a huge mess in the house…. and then asked for money and toys.
That’s the kind of nonsense Congress has just attempted.
Unable to handle the basic blocking-and-tackling of House floor proceedings the House GOP majority scrapped the rest of the week’s schedule and bolted home.
House Speaker Mike Johnson couldn’t even cobble together enough votes inside his own party to allow the House to function this week.
This year in Congress is beginning to feel like a legislative version of the Great American State Fair: Lots of self-congratulation from the people in charge, but no one is here actually attending it. They’re all back home. And this morning, the Capitol looks as empty as the grass walkways at the Great American State Fair.
This type of failure in the House is simultaneously shocking… yet not surprising at all.
THE UNSURPRISING PART:
Speaker Johnson’s reed-thin majority is running headfirst into impossible demands by President Trump, including Trump’s fan-fiction concept of passing the SAVE AMERICA ACT, which would federalize restrictions on voting. Oh… and now Trump is gonna want the GOP to pass a law to outlaw birthright citizenship.
And Trump still wants a slush fund.
Perhaps it shouldn’t be a surprise that a GOP House conference that includes moderate Republicans, who are fighting for survival in states like New York and Pennsylvania and California, are colliding with MAGA loyalists who are eager to do Trump’s bidding. (It’s often the MAGA loyalists who are jamming up their party on votes in the House)
THE SHOCKING PART: Members of Congress are just four months away (as of today) from asking us all for….. Money and toys. In the form of votes.
The polls aren’t subtle or mysterious. People are pissed off about prices. Homes, cars, food, electricity, utilities, healthcare …… all of it!
Yet… Congress skipped town days early for its July 4th recess and home district work period.
It’s a miserable look. They aren’t even getting caught “trying” on legislative actions to lower prices.
In the day ahead: Here are some of the things Congress has just cancelled, to fly home for burgers, campaigning, parades and – perhaps – some pool time.
A House committee meeting to help finalize a measure to improve electric grids and affordability of utility costs
A markup of a bill to help better secure facilities that offer mental health services
A House meeting on a plan to help disaster victims to more easily and accurately receive relief
Ongoing work here in Washington on the National Defense Authorization Act, which includes critical military programs, military family support services, benefits for veterans, military housing improvments…… and measures that could be very relevant amid the War in Iran
All cancelled.
The chores aren’t done. The homework isn’t done.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised by a wave of anti-incumbent sentiment that’s coursing through the U.S. political blood stream.
Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) offered us a straightforward and emphatic answer, when we asked her thoughts on the 11th hour decision by GOP leadership to send Congress home. “It’s absurd! They wanted all the power, yet they don’t know what to do with it.”
This is a pretty alarming scorecard from Punchbowl News and Jake Sherman.
Things are simply broken here.
Oh…. And Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX) uncorked this gem to my buddy Pablo Manriquez, when Pablo asked why the Congress isn’t doing more to tackle the affordability crisis.
The answer invoked lobster tails.
As for Trump, this whole mess risks unleashing the mother of all wave elections. Trump looks absolutely disinterested in tackling affordability …. And appears to be deeply enriching himself as the crisis roars.
The 927-page financial disclosure report he released Tuesday night is a whopper. (A tough, tough read)
https://www.oge.gov/web/oge.nsf/News+Releases/B8B9EA45F5EB86EC85258E2600701B77?opendocument
A few highlights:
Per CNBC: “The report reveals that Trump’s crypto-related income included about $515 million from the sale of tokens released by the firm World Liberty Financial, and $65 million from sales of equity in WLF’s holding company.”
The Associated Press adds, “Trump also took in millions last year from selling Trump-branded Bibles, sneakers and other small items in another unprecedented move for the presidency. The sale of Trump-branded watches alone brought in $4.7 million.”
Hard to imagine that he’s troubled by the cost of a hamburger jumping close to $10 each.
Per Steven Rattner, an economic adviser during the Obama Administration, Trump’s net worth has nearly tripled in his second term, reaching $6.5 billion. Rattner ain’t shy with his analysis: “His administration is the most brazenly self-enriching in American history.”
By the way —- here’s the earnings he reported from his lawsuits against ABC and CBS, which had been criticized as nuisance suits and extortive.
The optics are awful for Republicans who want to argue that Trump has made “costs” a priority. The “One Big Beautiful Bill” turned one-year-old this week – and voters are still largely opposed or ambivalent about it.
Will today be the day he signs the affordable housing legislation that he left stranded at the altar last week? The ten-day clock is ticking for Trump to sign the bill into law, or to allow it to become law without a signature or veto. (Sundays don’t count toward the 10-days)
His lethargy on the bill – and his recent criticisms of the bill – are depriving Republicans of ammunition for the homestretch of the midterm campaign. They want to get “caught trying” on housing affordability…. And instead they’re lost in the woods on it.
Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) said this morning on MSNOW’s Morning Joe, “We need a national referendum this November on Donald Trump’s chaos and cruelty… to see our way out of this darkness.”
SOME OTHER NEWS THREADS I’M PULLING TODAY
1) Watch for some performative statements of support inside the GOP to Trump’s new request for Congress to pass a law to ban birthright citizenship. Trump’s response to his big loss in the Supreme Court Tuesday included a call-to-action for Congress to neuter the American value and requirement of birthright citizenship.
Some Republicans in Washington were already flirting with the idea Tuesday, before Trump’s urging. Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX), a Republican who previously served as a judge, represents the Texas 1st Congressional District. He shared his concept with me.
At the 7 minute mark here:
Gov. Shapiro expressed alarm that the ruling wasn’t 9-0 from the Supreme Court to block Trump’s attempt against birthright citizenship. Shapiro openly questioned the impact of Trump’s attendance at the arguments and Trump’s “glaring” the justices.
Rep. Wesley Bell (D-MO) told the DAY AHEAD editorial note that the entire initiative by Trump was purely political, to jam up elections:
2) Democrats will make a new round of “we’re a big tent” arguments, after the insurgents won big in Colorado’s primaries.
Democratic socialist Melat Kiros has topped Rep. Diana DeGette (D-CO), a 30-year veteran of the US House, the 1st district primary.
Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO) came up short in his pursuit of the party’s nomination for Colorado Govenror.
And Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) narrowly avoided a political earthquake, by edging out a state legislator who raised only a fraction of the incumbent’s campaign warchest.
Kiros is going to be a heavily-pursued booking guest today for news outlets. Here’s NBC’s take on her emergence:
“Kiros, a lawyer by trade who immigrated from Ethiopia as a baby, was endorsed by prominent progressive figures and groups, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., the Democratic Socialists of America and Justice Democrats.
Her campaign caught fire among Denver Democrats this year, and her strong showing at the party’s convention almost cost DeGette a spot on the ballot. Kiros argued that despite DeGette’s progressive credentials, she wasn’t adequately addressing the sense of urgency required by the current political moment, with Democrats out of power in Washington and Trump trying to bend the federal government to his will.”
We get a few weeks off until the next round of primaries.
3) Another loss in court for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. A DC federal judge has ruled in favor of the New York Times and temporarily halted Hegseth’s onerous new press policy which requires escorts for media for spaces inside Pentagon
Here’s the opinion:
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.292479/gov.uscourts.dcd.292479.16.0.pdf
4) Rep. Andrea Salinas (D-OR) has just introduced formal legislation to combat US Presidents from benefiting from profiting off financial trades via insider information.
Rep. Salinas’s bill would impose a 100% federal tax on certain capital gains earned by the President of the United States “outside of a qualified trust while in office, preventing a sitting United States president from personally profiting from potential insider trading.”
5) Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is launching an investigation into alleged mishandled bundles of mail in Missouri and whether US Postal Service officials are being lavished with bonus pay.
He seeks a whole pile of records by July 15. Hawley alleges widespread mail delivery failures are “plaguing” his state and that Congress needs to intervene.
Among the records he’s ordered from the Postmaster General: “Provide a complete, itemized statement of all compensation paid to you since your appointment as the 76th Postmaster General, including base salary, relocation or signing payments, incentive or performance bonuses, deferred compensation, expense allowances, and every other benefit of monetary value.”
Take a look: https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Hawley-Letter-to-Postmaster-General-2026-06-30.pdf
6) Today is “Faith, Values, and Inspiration” day at the Great American State Fair. The Trump-ified event is going to need lots and lots of faith today. Temperatures are surging toward an oppressive heat wave. Local leaders have already issued health warnings.
We’ll see how many people wanna bring the kids to see a skeletal crowd and high-priced food menu.
Here’s how USA Today detailed the state-of-play at the fair: “Since opening June 25, the fair has drawn sparse crowds in its first days, though it remains unclear what the July 4th holiday weekend will bring. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum told Fox News on June 27 that the Trump administration was planning the “greatest and biggest celebration of fireworks ever. But on the ground, activity appeared limited. Lines to enter the fair, browse state booths and buy food were minimal. The longest wait was at the 110-foot Ferris wheel, and even that appeared typical for a standard attraction.”
And AFP’s report is a banger: “Deserted booths, sparse crowds and prayer tents. Welcome to the Great American State Fair, where a celebration of the country’s 250th birthday has morphed into a new political battlefront. Summers in Washington are notoriously steamy, but the proverbial heat has soared over the 16-day fair and how people view President Donald Trump’s tight grip on the event.”
More:
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/no-corn-dogs-trumps-great-224902619.html
Note to self: If I ever start a band.. I’ve gotta name it “Deserted booths, sparse crowds and prayer tents”
Rep. Johnny Olszewski (D-MD) summarized this whole mess in a social media post.
“Anyone who makes it about himself as opposed to the 250th anniversary of our amazing country deserves to party alone.”
7) AFFORDABILITY WATCH: Gov. Maura Healey (D-MA) and the state’s education secretary have a 12pm press event in Pittsfield, MA on efforts to make child care more affordable.
8) DATA CENTER WATCH: Howard County, Indiana is the latest county to consider a moratorium.
9) As a dangerous heat wave saturates part of America, there is large-scale storm damage that might need Washington’s attention and money soon.
In Illinois this afternoon (in the 2pm hour), Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D-IL) is touring damage in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
I’m on the Hill today to chase down more enterprise news. But tomorrow is a big day in court — and I’ll be at the courthouse in Washington, D.C.
Tomorrow is DEADLINE day for the Justice Dept to release more Epstein Files, because of the successful suit by Katie Phang
Your hard work and insights are SO appreciated! Especially because you can dive into them/state them as fully as you see fit . . . unfettered by previous constraints. I'm celebrating THAT on July 4th!
So Nehls, instead of covering up the statue of liberty, why don't you stay and work to fix our immigration laws. You have been sent home early for at least an extra 75 days off, and you have the nerve to say you work hard🤬