If you call the White House or any other federal office today, you’re likely going to get a message saying the offices are closed – as the federal government ran out of money late Friday. Still, while the government may be shut down, but it may not be for long.....What a melodrama.......
That’s because members of Congress have been negotiating all weekend – and the Senate will take a key procedural vote today aimed at making this nothing more than a long weekend. No one’s sure if that’ll happen, however, as a similar vote was abandoned overnight...and both sides of the aisle are blaming the other.
Today’s vote is set for Noon, Eastern. If it fails, the government will stay closed. As for what’s on the table, Republicans are proposing a funding extension to February 8th, with a firm commitment to Democrats to take up the so-called Dreamers issue separately, and soon. And if it hasn’t been addressed by then, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has committed to talking DACA on that date.Sadly, it's all about politics. And as long as Democrats think that they will benefit from a shutdown, we'll face a shutdown.
From WSJ....."The reason is simple: Democrats think a shutdown will improve their chances of retaking the House and Senate in November. Everything they do, every decision they make, is a political calculation with that in mind. Thus supposedly grave moral choices like children’s health care and legal status for immigrants are more important as political battering rams than as policy accomplishments. Dysfunction is desirable because Republicans are nominally in charge and will get the blame."
As long as this is the perception of the Democrats, the government will be held hostage. And if the media continue to serve as the Democrats' handmaidens, it will probably be true that people won't pay attention to the details and they'll just see that a government where the GOP control the White House and both houses of Congress, they'll blame the Republicans. The fact that Democrats' votes are necessary to get anything through the Senate will be one of those obscure details that no one will pay attention to.