Update on the Government Shutdown
The partial shutdown of the federal government continues with Congress still gridlocked over the Appropriation bills and a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR).
As explained in last week's, "Hold Fast on the Trump Shutdown" ISF newsletter article and Call to Action (CTA), the MAGA regime has been steadily shutting down the federal government ever since they took office so that they can slash health care and other domestic safety net programs to fund tax cuts for billionaires.
Here are some points to keep in mind when talking to your family and friends:
The MAGA regime claims that Democrats are shutting down the government in order to force a trillion dollars of "new spending." Nonsense! Democrats are demanding RESTORATION of the trillion dollars that Republicans CUT from health care to fund their billionaire tax cut.
The proposed Republican CR contains unacceptable poison pills including national bans on gender-affirming care, yet more restrictions on abortion access, and national "proof of citizenship" voter-ID mandates that target Democratic-leaning constituencies.
To their credit, Democratic members of Congress (MoC) are holding fast on restoring health care for millions of Americans. And last month's Democratic CR included some sanctions against the MAGA regime's unconstitutional rescissions, illegal fund transfers, and outright refusal to spend authorized funds. Democrats need to speak out more strongly about the constitutional issues that underlie the shutdown. It would be gross malfeasance for them to accept a spending package that fails to require presidential compliance.
Republicans argue that if Democrats agree to the despicable Republican CR, they could then later beg for relief on health care funding in the annual appropriation bill. But without the political pressure of the shutdown, Republicans will simply outvote Democrats again, and again, and again, because for them it's all about preserving their billionaire tax breaks.
Trump is using his office as a protection racket, paying off his cronies (foreign and domestic) while illegally withholding authorized funds and using the military to punish Blue states and cities. At the same time he is also using federal law enforcement to retaliate against his political opponents and those he personally dislikes.
House Republicans are staging an unprecedented political stall. They were supposed to come back to work on Tuesday the 30th, but Speaker Johnson refused to reconvene the body. He claims the shutdown is preventing them from doing the work they are still being paid to do – but that's nonsense. They could be passing the three appropriation bills already passed by the Senate and thereby reopen significant portions of the government. They could be working on the remaining nine appropriation bills that are waiting for a House vote. They could be taking care of the nation's legislative business.
Instead, they are sitting at home dialing their big donors for more dark money while their Senate counterparts are partying with the donarati at the luxurious Georgia Sea Island resort. The real reason for their stall is to prevent recently-elected Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ) from taking her seat because she is going to be the final vote forcing the House to release the Epstein files.
Every day the MAGA regime commits new atrocities against democracy, decency, and our democratic Constitution. They want us to feel weak and helpless. But we are not weak. Public opposition and resistance to the MAGA Gang and their actions is now larger and more unified than ever. Dissent and defiance are popping up in new and unexpected places. Their popularity and influence are steadily declining.
Our job is clear. We need to do everything we can to make the MAGA shutdown a public political problem that they have to address. We need to continue contacting our representatives, continue speaking up and making noise in the public arena, and build the No Kings march on October 18.