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** Disclaimer: I am getting a little political here. You probably know where I stand. If you can’t handle politics being discussed, politely click away now.**
If you followed the news over the weekend, you know that we were in a government shutdown situation again. If you recall, I was affected by that the last time that happened in 2013.
I’ve been glued to the TV over the weekend. First, trying to figure out if the government was going to shut down or not, then if it was going to reopen before Monday morning. As you know, it didn’t, so we were officially furloughed yesterday. We had to report to work, accept our furlough notice, shut down our computers… just before the Democrats caved and voted to reopen the government again yesterday afternoon. While it’s never fun being in limbo, I would have preferred for the Democrats to show some spine. I am not sure what the three-day shutdown was for because they haven’t really gained anything in the negotiations. DACA was not dealt with and I am not sure how much I trust any half-assed promises from the GOP at this point to bring it to a vote (which still doesn’t mean anything will be voted onor passed in the House), especially when – on top of all this – we have a very indecisive president who refuses to lead and/or take a firm position.
I consider myself fairly well informed, I follow the news, do some independent reading, discuss the news with my family overseas (to see how things are portrayed over there), and try my best to understand the US political system. Over a decade later, I still don’t understand a lot of things. For example, how is it possible that we’re 4 months into the fiscal year again and the government doesn’t have a budget but continues to operate under continuing resolutions? How can they attach other legislation (like the CHIP program and DACA) to the spending bill and shut down the government over this?
It’s like signing a lease for a house and at the same time agreeing to cook dinner for the landlord on Sunday nights. Those two things don’t belong together and shouldn’t be voted on together. But I understand, it’s politicial leverage. I am just wondering, how is that even legal?
We’ll be at the exact point again in less than three weeks when this CR (continuing resolution) runs out and if the Republicans haven’t put DACA on the table like Mitch McConnell promised.
As Rachel Maddow likes to say, ‘Watch this space’.
Kate
January 23, 2018 at 10:11 amI am furious about the shutdown, & I am equally upset that the Dems caved, although to some extent, it’s hard to blame them; they’re not willing to let the country go ungoverned, to let thousands go furloughed while the Republicans hold the country hostage. I don’t envy them their position, trying so hard to do what’s good for the American people while working against forces that believe in exactly the opposite…
san
January 25, 2018 at 8:36 amYeah, I am angry but I am also trying to understand the intricacies of the political system. I have a feeling that Schumer (and the Dems) didn’t just cave with not at least a bit of a plan… but at this point, it’s hard to understand what that plan is.
Beth
January 23, 2018 at 10:46 amEverything is seriously just so f’d up right now. I’m sorry the shutdown affected you. And the being in limbo stuff is definitely frustrating but you’re right, the Democrats should’ve stepped up and not backed down. I’m angry too.
san
January 25, 2018 at 8:36 amI really hope something will come off that stand-off.
ShootingStarsMag
January 23, 2018 at 5:37 pmI’ve lived here all my life, and I still can’t grasp a lot of things that occur in U.S. politics. A lot of it doesn’t seem like it should be legal, yet somehow it is…and it just frustrates me so much!!
-Lauren
san
January 25, 2018 at 8:37 amSuperfrustrating!
Megan @ Meg Go Run
January 24, 2018 at 5:08 amI too do not understand how they are allowed to attach things to the budget like DACA and CHIP. Maybe because those things require money? I am not sure.
I am enraged at the repubs for blaming this on the dems. First of all, the repubs and dems need to work TOGETHER, ESPECIALLY with the president we have who wants a different thing each day depending on who he talks to. I am a little optimistic hearing about the moderate repubs and dems who met in Susan Collins’ office and are banding together to be a moderate majority to get things done without the president’s help. So I am TRYING to be optimistic about that.
I too am not sure about what the dems gained… I know they got CHIP for 6 years, so that’s good. And like you said, you got McConnel’s promise. I don’t trust him either but he WILL look bad if he goes back on it and the dems will shut down the govt and they will have a better narrative for doing so than they did this time.
But to your point about it doesn’t mean a bill to help the dreamers find a path to citizenship will pass in the house… YEAH I don’t understand that!!!
It’s a mess. :(
san
January 25, 2018 at 8:37 amThere had better be a pay-off for the Dems down the road.
Ana
January 24, 2018 at 6:24 amI’m going to say right off, I have no respect for democrats in office!! They infuriate me for not standing up for what they want!!
I was listening to NPR on my way to work, and it is infuriating that they are still talking about a Wall!! how can in one hand they say that they don’t want to fund Chip, but on the next sentence say that they need a wall? A wall that will cost MILLIONS of dollars!! the money they want for the wall could fund healthcare for all in the USA! But Republicans don’t see the value of human lives!
san
January 25, 2018 at 8:38 amI believe that the Dems wanted to pass CHIP and keep the government open, but yeah, negotiations now are pretty hard… I mean, the news said Trump wants $25 billion for a wall in exchange for DACA. That’s insane!
Stephany
January 25, 2018 at 7:00 pmThis whole deal with DACA is so infuriating, considering that it’s a bipartisan issue and has an incredibly amount of support. WHY our idiot president decide to rescind DACA is beyond me. I’ve been hearing stories from Dreamers who are so scared about leaving their families, jobs, lives to go back to a country where they may not even speak the language and I don’t understand how this is even something up for debate. It just shows how heartless our president is.
Feisty Harriet
February 2, 2018 at 9:56 pmI’m late to this political party, but leaving a solidarity comment anyway.
xox
Terra
February 5, 2018 at 9:12 amI wish they’d done something. It seemed like a waste to shut everything down for three days and accomplish nothing, and here we are again, staring down another day when maybe the government will shut down again.