This piece originated in The Logoff, a regular dispatch designed to keep you abreast of the Trump government without letting political happenings dominate your life. Sign up here.
Greetings from The Logoff: The U.S. federal system stands only hours away from what appears to be an unavoidable cessation of activities — and, perhaps, an unparalleled power play by President Donald Trump.
What’s unfolding? Governmental budgetary resources expire tonight at the stroke of midnight. This implies that government operations will cease at 12:01 am tomorrow unless Congress approves a funding measure beforehand. Following the breakdown of discussions between Trump and Democratic representatives on Monday, the likelihood of this occurring appears remote.
Why hasn’t Congress okayed a financial provision? Despite Republicans holding exclusive command over the government, they still require Democratic support within the Senate to successfully legislate a bill under the existing framework. Democrats are holding back their endorsements unless Republicans consent to also prolong health insurance assistance that are nearing expiration, as well as reverse prior reductions in Medicaid funding.
Beyond the immediate health care conflict, this standstill carries wider implications for Democrats: Their support base is increasingly displeased with the party’s leading figures for their perceived lack of resistance against Trump. This closure offers them an avenue to demonstrate defiance — or at least appear to be engaged in some form of action.
So, what comes next? The government will cease its functions — and forecasting beyond that becomes challenging. As articulated by my colleague Eric Levitz yesterday, Democrats are undertaking considerable risk by proceeding with a government shutdown, resting on the assumption that Trump’s threats are merely a facade.
Should he not be feigning, however, this shutdown could diverge significantly from preceding instances: The Trump regime has already signaled intentions to terminate federal personnel outright instead of placing them on temporary leave, in addition to further diminishing the regulatory environment.
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When — and how — does this situation resolve? The answer remains elusive. The lengthiest (partial) cessation of government activities in recorded history, witnessed during Trump’s opening term, spanned 35 days before culminating in Trump’s retreat. In this scenario, it is conceivable that Democrats might abandon their demands concerning health provisions and concede to backing a temporary solution aimed at reinstating governmental operations — or conversely, the shutdown could incentivize Senate Republicans to eliminate the procedural obstruction, thereby negating the necessity for Democratic concurrence.
And with that, it’s time to log off…
Greetings readers, I’ve arranged another Unexplainable podcast installment for this evening, spotlighting an episode from Sean Illing’s acclaimed podcast, The Gray Area, featuring author Olga Khazan. Sean and Olga explore, in depth, whether personal transformation is genuinely attainable — an excellent episode, accessible for listening here. Until tomorrow!
Source: vox.com
