As of today, January 20, 2018, our government has been shutdown. Trump’s celebration of his first year in office was to be a trip to Mar-a-Lago to golf and hold a $100,000 per couple fund raising dinner. Thanks to Trump and Mitch McConnell, our pampered politicians remain in Washington, forced to do what they hate most; work.

It all began at a Trump rally when he told his supporters “what this country needs is a good shutdown.” McConnell has failed completely as the Senate Majority Leader and refused to address the looming shutdown if a bipartisan agreement was not made on the budget. Instead he was involved with Trump’s destructive tax plan, which has been denounced by most Americans.

The budget proposed by Trump and his hypocritical Republican Party contains multiple provisions which would add more money to the wallets of the wealthy, and give a ridiculous amount of money to the Pentagon to waste on failed projects.

Before one o’clock this morning, after McConnell rejected all demands from Democrats, he announced the shutdown. Of course he blamed Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, and one of his demands; that DACA be reinstated. The truth is that it is more than just DACA. Democrats reject several budget inclusions which do not include considerations for the needs and wishes of the majority. For Republicans the wealthy come first, and then every other special interest group who are large donors to Republican campaigns. They believe that the people are there to serve them; they refuse to serve us.

Trump had agreed to accept a bipartisan agreement. Six Senators; three from each party; offered a tenable arrangement to Trump and McConnell. McConnell refused to consider it until Trump made a decisions. (Whatever happened to ‘separate but equal power’ in Washington. When did congress begin serving the executive branch?) Trump rejected the proposal and McConnell bowed to his fuhrer; refusing to allow a vote.

Then came last night; the deadline which could have been avoided if our leadership in Washington had the intelligence and willingness to work together.

It appears that congress waits until the last minute to approve the budget each year; why? I have the answer, and it’s sad. Congress works only 100 days each year. That “work” is mostly campaigning for their next election and fundraising for that election. We have the worst government in the free world.

Please pass this on to those you love; thank you.

Op-ed by James Turnage

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Image courtesy of DonkeyHotey

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