Staff Reports
As the clock struck midnight, the halls of power in Washington ground to a halt, plunging the federal government into yet another shutdown. What is not halted, however, is the age-old game of blame-shifting, and oh what a game it is. Historically, government shutdowns have been a pesky thorn in the side of the ruling party. What a delightful coincidence, then, that Republicans are in charge and as if history dictates it, bear the brunt of the blame regardless of context. Never mind that it’s the usual suspect—the Democrats—who are the ones throwing a proverbial wrench into the machinery, this time over issues concerning the Department of Homeland Security and ICE.
Interestingly enough, there has been a slight wrinkle in the blame game this time around. Democrats appear to be in a bit of a pickle, driven by the more progressive wings of their party with demands that harken back to the infamous “defund the police” days. You remember those days, the ones where polling showed an overwhelmingly unamused public. Now, it seems Democrats are at it again, this time eyeing ICE with the same fervor. So here they are, biting their nails and watching as their latest, not-so-popular maneuver to please their base is, well, just that.
But oh! How swift the Democrats are to point fingers at the Republicans. Apparently, the Republicans should somehow shoulder the full burden of being blamed for this shutdown. Forget that it’s the Democrats refusing to fund departments like DHS and ICE—a move that sure reads like an attempt to pander to the far-left. This is not unfamiliar territory, as past midterms reflect how the president’s party often loses ground, setting up Republicans for an uphill battle in the upcoming elections.
Of course, it doesn’t help that Republicans are genuinely struggling to relay their successes at the border to the public. ICE has been dealing with self-deportations and reducing stress among agents, despite the hindrances presented by sanctuary cities and bureaucratic overcomplications. In places like Minneapolis, for instance, if ICE agents only had the authority to hand over lawbreakers from jails, much of the public fallout could be avoided. Alas, those complications seem to be seeped in the very ethos of the metastasizing bureaucratic processes championed by liberals.
In the end, the political theater continues. Democrats shake hands slyly, blocking necessary government funding under the guise of reform. Meanwhile, the Republicans stand at the ready, half prepared, half wary from relentless pointing fingers. The government may have stopped, but for all of the District’s diligent politicos, it is business as usual. It’s like a bad reality TV show, only this one controls the path of the nation. If only there was a remote that offered a pause button for this ongoing saga.
