The vote was 235 to 174, not even close to the two-thirds majority necessary under the special provision under which Speaker MIKE Johnson had brought the bill to the House floor. Dozens of Republicans joined Democrats in rejecting the bill, most of them because the bill included a two-year suspension of the debt ceiling Trump had demanded for his support.

The two-year lifting of the debt ceiling would have allowed Trump to run up the deficit to levels “never seen before,” as he is fond of saying, during his first years in office. When he takes off the last two years of his term to play golf, the debt ceiling would have been reimposed. But what would he care? Trump and his pals, including Elon Musk, would have their tax cuts that will balloon the deficit and send inflation into the stratosphere.

Congress still faces the midnight Friday deadline to pass a continuing resolution to fund the government. If they don’t, much of the government will be furloughed over the Christmas holidays, with TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and the nation’s military all forced to work without pay, at least until the new Congress is sworn in on January 3 and returns to “work.” The administrator of the Transportation Security Administration said this afternoon that a government shutdown would lead to longer lines at airports over the holidays.

Elon Musk is probably doing the YMCA dance in celebration. Musk had recommended shutting down the government completely until Trump is inaugurated on January 20. There are no TSA lines for people who fly on private aircraft such as Musk’s fleet of Gulfstreams.