The Path Forward: How to Fund DHS, Secure the Border, Pass Election Integrity & Win Historic Conservative Victories

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DHS Shutdown & Democratic Opposition •

• An extended shutdown continues of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), leaving approximately 200,000 employees unpaid. • Attributes the shutdown to Democratic refusal to fund DHS due to opposition to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). • •

Republican Strategy on DHS Funding •

• Explains that ICE and Customs & Border Protection (CBP) were pre‑funded through a prior reconciliation bill, insulating them from the shutdown. • Criticizes short‑term funding approaches and argues Democrats will not support ICE funding in the foreseeable future. • •

Use of Budget Reconciliation •

• Advocates using budget reconciliation to bypass the Senate filibuster and pass funding with a simple majority. • Proposes funding ICE and CBP for the maximum allowable 10 years rather than shorter-term extensions. • •

Proposed Offensive Policy Approach •

• Argues that Democratic obstruction should result in increased ICE funding (e.g., a 10% increase) rather than status‑quo responses. • Frames this as both a policy and political countermeasure. • •

Broader Conservative Legislative Agenda •

• Calls for leveraging reconciliation to advance multiple conservative priorities before potential Republican losses in upcoming elections. • Examples include: • Preventing future shutdowns of critical services (air traffic control, TSA). • Indexing capital gains taxes to inflation to reduce “phantom gains.” • Expanding school choice and tax‑advantaged family policies. • • •

Economic & Housing Policy Rationale •

• Explains how inflation‑indexed capital gains could increase housing supply by discouraging long-term holding solely for tax avoidance. • Links tax reform to affordability and economic growth concerns. • •

Election Integrity Measures •

• Supports incorporating election integrity provisions into reconciliation where budget rules allow. • Suggests conditioning federal election funding on compliance with integrity standards. • •

Urgency & Historical Warning •

• Draws comparisons to missed legislative opportunities in past Republican majorities. • Argues reconciliation represents the last realistic chance to enact significant conservative legislation before expected political gridlock. • •

Strategic “Tentpole” Concept •

• Describes ICE and border security as unifying issues capable of holding a broad Republican coalition together. • Warns that narrower or fragmented legislative efforts are likely to fail. • Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshow

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