The president and Congress agreed to a spending bill to get the government through to September.  President Chuck Schumer said:

This agreement is a good agreement for the American people and takes the threat of a government shutdown off the table[.] ... The bill ensures taxpayer dollars aren't used to fund an ineffective border wall, excludes poison pill riders and increases investments in programs that the middle class relies on, like medical research, education and infrastructure.

Since Republicans lost the presidency and the Congress in the last election, it is no surprise that this spending bill hewed closely to the Democrat agenda.  Republicans had tried to include funding for a border wall, but since they are in the minority in Congress, they didn't have the power to push it through.

Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi boasted:

... that they were able to force Republicans to withdraw more than 160 unrelated policy measures, known as riders, including those that would have cut environmental funding and scaled back financial regulations for Wall Street.

The bill does include $12.5 billion more for the military and $1.5 billion for border security, but the border security cannot be used for a wall.  Likely it will be used for technology, which will better allow the government to watch illegals crossing the border on TV.  The legislation also stipulates that none of the money be spent for a "deportation force" and that there be no cut in funding to sanctuary cities, at least while President Schumer is in the White House.

Democrats fought to include $295 million to help Puerto Rico continue making payments to Medicaid, $100 million to combat opioid addiction, and increases in energy and science funding that Trump had proposed cutting[.] ... [T]he legislation will ensure that Planned Parenthood continues to receive federal funding through September.

Obviously, Trump, who lost the election, never had any hope of cutting any of these programs with President Schumer showing such resolve.  I mean, Schumer can veto legislation if it doesn't fund what he wants.  How can Republicans, in the minority in Congress, oppose him?  The answer is, they can't.  Their bargaining position is too weak.

What does this spending bill tell us about politics?  If we want a government that doesn't fund Planned Parenthood, we need to elect a Republican House of Representatives.  If we want a government that doesn't fund Obamacare, we need a Republican Senate.  If we want a government to get serious about funding a border wall, we need a Republican president.  In the minority, Republicans are powerless to push any of their agenda, just as Democrats are powerless when they are in the minority.  That's why we need to push hard to help Republicans win the House, Senate, and presidency in the next election so we can finally get real change in Washington.  Imagine what they could do if they won all three and had total control of government!

Ed Straker is the senior writer at NewsMachete.com.