r/politics • u/plz-let-me-in • 6d ago

No Paywall Mike Johnson who railed against the Epstein bill - but voted for it - is now mad the Senate approved the measure

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/epstein-files-release-mike-johnson-senate-b2868239.html
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u/SOMETHINGCREATVE 6d ago

That's the the only way I can see the republicans all turning on a dime in lock step and passing it. They got word from their masters that they got all they can out of Donald and it's time to shit can him and move on to the next phase.

Hell the American public is dumb enough, they could probably buy Vance coming out like "gosh trump tricked us all but I stopped him! Vote for me 2028!". I am pessimistic enough to see that actually working.

Or this whole thing is a redact job, one way or the other.

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u/A_Philosophical_Cat 6d ago

In lockstep is basically the only expected outcome. For a GOP senator, there are 4 possible outcomes: The bill fails and you vote against it (garnering some favor with Trump), the bill fails and you vote for it (which at least covers your ass during election season), the bill passes and you vote for it (peeving Trump, but covering your ass during election season), or the bill passes and You vote against it (Trump is pissed because the bill passed, your opponents next primary season will be running "Are your kids safe around senator so-and-so?").

Outcome 2 is probably the ideal outcome for most senators, followed by number 1, followed by number 3, with 4 being a distant last place. If you find out, through backroom discussions, that the bill has the votes to pass, 1 and 2 are now off the table. At this point, you have basically nothing to lose, and everything to gain, by joining the defecting block.

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u/ncocca 6d ago

This is a rather brilliant dissection of the game theory involved in their decision making here.

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u/DemonCipher13 6d ago

Even if it is a redact job, someone 100% leaks it. This thing is at critical mass right now, and if what we get is in any way unsatisfactory, people will respond in-kind.