{"id":2611543,"date":"2026-06-06T17:47:02","date_gmt":"2026-06-06T21:47:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-smug-dem-reps-face-goes-totally-blank-after-a-cool-sec-bessent-educates-him-about-his-own-branch-of-government\/"},"modified":"2026-06-06T17:48:01","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T21:48:01","slug":"watch-smug-dem-reps-face-goes-totally-blank-after-a-cool-sec-bessent-educates-him-about-his-own-branch-of-government","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/watch-smug-dem-reps-face-goes-totally-blank-after-a-cool-sec-bessent-educates-him-about-his-own-branch-of-government\/","title":{"rendered":"WATCH &#8211; Smug Dem Rep&#8217;s Face Goes Totally Blank After a Cool Sec. Bessent Educates Him About His Own Branch of Government"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">44<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fwatch-smug-dem-reps-face-goes-totally-blank-after-a-cool-sec-bessent-educates-him-about-his-own-branch-of-government%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2611543&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses Rep. john Larson, a Connecticut Democrat who has served as 1999, and his questioning of Treasury Secretary scott bessent during comments to the House Ways and Means Committee. Larson presses Bessent on whether he supports eliminating the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/lawmakers-debate-future-infrastructure-bills\/\" title=\"Lawmakers debate future infrastructure bills\">federal gas tax<\/a>, and a back-and-forth ensues in which Larson repeatedly demands a direct answer while Bessent explains that the Trump administration has asked Congress to move to eliminate it through legislation. the piece argues that the White House cannot suspend or remove the gas tax without Congress becuase it would involve changes to spending law.<\/p>\n<p>It also notes that lawmakers in both parties have proposed different plans to repeal or suspend the gas tax for varying lengths of time, and it cites concerns from experts that stopping gas tax revenue could effect funding for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-has-signed-40-executive-orders-and-actions-since-taking-office\/\" title=\"Biden has signed 40 executive orders and actions since taking office\">highway construction<\/a> and maintenance-since <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal gas taxes make<\/a> up a large share of Highway Trust Fund revenue.The article concludes that regardless of who is responsible, the situation still hinges on congressional action and the existing fiscal and infrastructure constraints.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><br \/>\n<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC \"-\/\/W3C\/\/DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional\/\/EN\" \"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/TR\/REC-html40\/loose.dtd\"><br \/>\n<?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><html><body><\/p>\n<section> \t\t\t\t<script>console.log(\"ad slot (AC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC1)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC2)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC3)\")<\/script><script>console.log(\"ad slot (IC4)\")<\/script><\/p>\n<p>Rep. John Larson, a Democrat from Connecticut, has been serving his state\u2019s 1st Congressional District since 1999.<\/p>\n<p>When he first took office, you were using dial-up internet if you were using it at all. Bill Clinton was president, somehow, after committing perjury and obstruction of justice, but somehow getting away with it because of his unique interpretation of the present tense of the verb \u201cto be.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPatch Adams,\u201d \u201cStepmom,\u201d and \u201cYou\u2019ve Got Mail\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.boxofficemojo.com\/month\/january\/1999\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">were<\/a> in movie theaters, which \u2014 for you youngsters out there \u2014 is how we used to experience Netflix: We\u2019d go to a big multiplex and sit in front of a huge screen with sticky floors and a projectionist who could never quite get the picture in focus. And we <em>liked<\/em> it, even when we had to walk uphill in snow both ways to see \u201cBilly Madison.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not to go all millennial nostalgia trip on you here, but the point needs to be made \u2014 dude\u2019s been there a while. And Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent knows his job better than he does.<\/p>\n<p>Bessent was before the powerful <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/not-radical-senile-maxine-waters-refusing-retire-87-chair-powerful-committee-come-next-january\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">House Ways and Means Committee<\/a> earlier this week commenting on the priorities of the Treasury Department, including as it pertains to inflation.<\/p>\n<p>Larson was very insistent about whether or not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/watch-scott-bessent-reaches-boiling-point-democratic-congresswoman-goes-slanderous-hearing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bessent<\/a> thought the federal gas tax should be suspended, although he wasn\u2019t quite eager for him to answer it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAre you in favor of eliminating the gas tax?\u201d Larson asked. \u201cAre you able to answer that or is that not answerable either?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, if I\u2019m not interrupted, I can, Congressman,\u201d Bessent replied. He then noted that the Trump administration had indeed acted to the limit of their authority: \u201cWe have asked Congress to move to eliminate the gas tax. That is done through statute.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou have moved that? So, you\u2019re in favor of eliminating the gas tax?\u201d Larson said. Yes, Bessent said, they\u2019d asked everyone in Congress to do that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSo, we can join bipartisanly today because you\u2019re in favor of it to eliminate the gas tax,\u201d Larson said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAgain, the White House has asked for it, sir,\u201d Bessent said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThey have? Why isn\u2019t it before the committee for a vote?\u201d Larson replied.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t run the agenda,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-accounts-app-races-top-apple-downloads-day-bessent-announces-release\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bessent<\/a> said.<\/p>\n<p>It was enough to turn Rep. Larson blank for a second:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">\ud83d\udea8 OMG. Secretary Bessent just BRUTALLY EMBARRASSED this RUDE Democrat congressman<\/p>\n<p>LARSON (D): Are you in favor of eliminating the gas tax?!<\/p>\n<p>BESSENT: We have moved to\u2014<\/p>\n<p>LARSON: \u2014Are you IN FAVOR of ELIMINATING the gas tax?! Answer!<\/p>\n<p>BESSENT: Well if I\u2019m NOT INTERRUPTED I CAN!\u2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/CEqEjxcOds\">pic.twitter.com\/CEqEjxcOds<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/EricLDaugh\/status\/2062568882527981672?\">June 4, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Yes, the White House can\u2019t act without Congress on this one. It\u2019s a spending bill, after all, and Rep. Larson would be hooting and hollering about how it was bedtime for democracy if the gas tax were suspended by executive order, so you lose either way.<\/p>\n<p>By the by, in case you were wondering what the hold-up was, there are different proposals from both the Republicans and Democrats in the House and Senate which would repeal the tax for different amounts of time and address the loss of revenue in different ways.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s worth noting, as <a href=\"https:\/\/tax.thomsonreuters.com\/news\/gop-lawmakers-trump-push-proposals-to-suspend-federal-gas-tax\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Reuters<\/a> did, that \u201csome experts\u2026 are urging caution in suspending the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/georgia-suspends-gas-tax-amid-emergency-declaration-over-inflation\/\" title=\"Georgia suspends ... due to inflation emergency declaration.\">gas tax due<\/a> to impacts on funding for highway construction and maintenance. Revenue from federal gas taxes comprise about 85% of the Highway Trust Fund highway account\u2019s annual revenue, per a 2025 Congressional Research Service report.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>So not only are the reasons well known, either Rep. Larson has been in office for 27 years and knows nothing about his own job \u2014 including its role in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/trump-congratulates-house-passing-budget-resolution-paving-way-1-5t-spending-cuts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">introducing spending bills<\/a> \u2014 or is willing to play that kind of idiot on TV. Neither alternative seems exculpatory.<\/p>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f7f7f7; color: #171717; display: flex;font-size: 16px;font-weight: 600;line-height: 1.5;margin: 24px 0;padding: 18px 20px 18px 30px;text-align: left;\">\n<div style=\"align-self: stretch;border-left: 3px solid #171717;flex-shrink: 0;padding-left: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<p><a style=\"text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/preferences\/source?q=https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/\">Choose The Western Journal as your preferred source on Google and never miss reporting that defends truth, protects freedom, and advances Western civilization<\/a><\/div>\n<p style=\"border: 1px solid #f5f5f5; padding: 16px;\">Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/advertise-us\/?wj_source=article\">Advertise Today<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"entry-submit-correction inner-content\">\n<div class=\"correction-form\">\n<form style=\"display: none;\">\n<div class=\"sc-name-field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* Name<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"name\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<div class=\"sc--field\"> \t\t\t\t\t\t<label>* <\/label> \t\t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" name=\"\" required> \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<label>* Message<\/label> \t\t\t\t\t<br \/> \t\t\t\t\t<textarea name=\"message\" required><\/textarea> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"required-message\" style=\"display: none; padding-bottom: 15px;\">* All fields are required.<\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\t\t<input type=\"submit\" value=\"Submit\" onclick=\"event.preventDefault(); firefly_sc();\"> \t\t\t\t\t \t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<div class=\"firefly-sc-confirm\" style=\"display: none;\">Success!<\/div>\n<\/p><\/form>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p> \t\t<script> \t\t\tfunction firefly_sc() { \t\t\t\tif( typeof window.captchaPublicKey == typeof undefined ){ \t\t\t\t\tconsole.error('window.captchaPublicKey is not defined'); \t\t\t\t} \t\t\t\tgrecaptcha.execute( window.captchaPublicKey, { action: 'submit_correction' } ).then( function( token ) { \t\t\t\t\tvar opts = { \t\t\t\t\t\taction:    'firefly_sc_submit', \t\t\t\t\t\tname:      document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"name\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\t:     document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tmessage:   document.querySelector( '.entry-submit-correction [name=\"message\"]' ).value, \t\t\t\t\t\tpost_id:   firefly_post_id, \t\t\t\t\t\tcap_token: token \t\t\t\t\t}  \t\t\t\t\tvar inputs = [ 'name', '', 'message' ];  \t\t\t\t\tfor( var i = 0; i < inputs.length; i++ ) if( ! 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John Larson has served Connecticut\u2019s 1st District since 1999<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2611544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Untitled-design-2026-06-06T163803.570.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[6672,6571,5045,4133,5894],"class_list":["post-2611543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-commentary","tag-elections","tag-government","tag-news","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.westernjournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Untitled-design-2026-06-06T163803.570.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2611543"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611543\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2611547,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2611543\/revisions\/2611547"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2611544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2611543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2611543"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2611543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}