Republican incompetence, ill will, and general awfulness are steering the country toward a government shutdown. If it happens, it will be the first time in the modern era that a unified government—one party controlling the House, Senate, and White House—couldn't get its shit together enough to carry out the basic functions of governance. Because they can't do so, they're now going to try for another short-term bill ahead of Friday's deadline, and Democrats are challenging them to pull up their big politician pants and do it on their own.
GOP leaders are now turning to a short-term funding measure in hopes of keeping agencies open while talks continue, but Democratic leaders say they are unlikely to support any deal that does not protect young illegal immigrants.
Republicans are thinking about using the hostage they took 108 days ago—Children's Health Insurance Program funding—to try to force enough Democrats to support the bill, pitting one group of young people (Dreamers) against another (sick kids). Because they are sociopaths.
As critical as CHIP funding is, Democrats should not be dealing with hostage takers. As Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, who has been valiantly negotiating on behalf of the Dreamers, said Tuesday morning, a shutdown is "preventable."
"The Republican majority is in control of the House and Senate. They have the White House. We are prepared to work with them. And we put down a list of things that should be included. And they've had it for weeks. […] We spent four months to reach an agreement on immigration, and on DACA. It wasn't easy. I had to give a lot. I didn't want to give. But so did the Republicans.
But we did what the president challenged us to do and now I hope that Senator McConnell as well as Speaker Ryan will move forward in that spirit.
That's a clear message to McConnell and Ryan: it's in their hands, and they will own the outcome.