The government shutdown is over … for now.
Recently, Donald Trump signed a temporary funding for the government for three weeks. I’ve previously written on the effects of this shutdown, but what now? Are we closer to a resolution, or are we fated for Trump to shutdown the government once again?
The ultimate reason for the shutdown is the wall. Whether a Republican who wants it or a Democrat who doesn’t, either way, that’s the reason the shutdown continues.
The wall is Trump’s brainchild and campaign promise, but how has he faired in this shutdown?
The short answer is not not well. Many of his supporters who have cheered for months about the wall are upset that he bent at all, seeing this three weeks of government funding as a concession of sorts. Other Republicans who aren’t as supportive of the wall have backed away from supporting Trump, as many fear the backlash from another shutdown. As for Democrats, they have remained an almost entirely unified front against the wall.
As for what happens next, I see a very small likelihood that the shutdown doesn’t begin anew in mid-February. Trump has said he’s willing to keep this shutdown going for as long as necessary until he gets funding for the wall. It’s unlikely that any bill not containing funding for the wall will have enough bipartisan support to get past a presidential veto. It’s also unlikely that Republicans will get any Democratic support for a bill that does contain wall funding. As such, we are at an impasse.
The way I see it, the wall is coming whether we like it or not. If Trump wants the wall, he has no qualm with using any means necessary. Trump has already threatened his use of emergency powers to get the wall funding, and, frankly, there is not a lot of legislation there to stop him.
We now just have to wait and see how many government workers have their lives destroyed in the process.
