Day 363: Republicans Alone Can Stop Shutdown, Trump Blames Dems Anyway

The government is set to shut down on Saturday if lawmakers cannot agree on a funding bill. If a deal does not get done, it would mark the first time in history that the government shuts down when one party controls the presidency and both chambers of Congress.

Since only a simple majority is needed in the House, along 60 votes from a more amenable Senate and Donald Trump’s pen, such a deal would appear relatively easy for Republicans to tackle nearly alone, if need be. Except, GOP hardliners in the House are rejecting on-the-table proposals, necessitating Republican leaders to turn to Democrats.

Democrats have dug their heels in on the budget unless a deal can be worked out for beneficiaries, known as Dreamers, under DACA. While most Americans support a deal for Dreamers, the GOP has failed to allow a clean bill to be up for a vote on the matter, as Trump has waffled on whether he would sign it or not.

This has lead to a stalemate on the budget issue, as the Democrats want something big in exchange for their vote, and they have circled a DACA deal as that thing.

Trump, who no doubt has been told this was a possibility (as it has been in the past few months), exclusively blames Democrats for the potentially historic shutdowns.

Of course, despite all the hyperbolic bluster about the military losing in any shutdown, Trump was in favor of a shutdown just a few years ago when it was Republicans who wanted something.

Instead of blaming Democrats for something Republicans alone can solve, maybe Trump should recall his own words.

363 days in, 1099 to go

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