- cross-posted to:
- usa
- cross-posted to:
- usa
When President Donald Trump announced last week he wanted Congress to “pass a clean, temporary government funding Bill,” that should have dropped the chances of a federal shutdown to near zero.
After all, shutdown threats tend to get driven by conservative hard-liners intent on cutting spending — and who better than Trump to pull them in line and keep the government open?
So it’s quite a testament to how dramatically Trump has shaken up Washington over the past six weeks that the likelihood of a shutdown hasn’t abated. In fact, according to my reporting, it might actually have increased.
This time, it’s Democrats who are itching for a fight — over the Department of Government Efficiency cuts that Trump has blessed and deputized mogul Elon Musk has gleefully carried out.
I wouldn’t be surprised if this is what Trump wants.
He’ll argue (or will be told to argue rather) that the constitution mandates that Congress does this job. He’ll then use that as an excuse to dissolve congresss by means of the supreme court.
If he needs an excuse to do something he will always just manufacture one, so worrying about some action against him giving him that excuse is pointless and will only serve to hamstring any resistance to him. It’s time to throw everything at the wall until enough sticks to tear it down.
Ive been far too optimistic in the past.
I think shutting down the government is a great idea. People won’t work if they don’t get paid. A week or two? Maybe. A month? Less likely. But beyond that? No way.
But that’s the part I can’t be optimistic about. The DNC will reason “it’s better that the government keeps running so those employed by the government can keep their source of income.” Meanwhile the government workers are paid to destroy the government.