A Rationale for a Shutdown

“I want to be very clear about what I am saying here. Donald Trump is corrupting the government — he is using it to hound his enemies, to line his pockets and to entrench his own power. He is corrupting it the way the Mafia would corrupt the industries it controlled. You could still, under Mafia rule, get the trash picked up or buy construction materials. But the point of those industries had become the preservation and expansion of the Mafia’s power and wealth. … This is what Trump is doing to the government. This is what Democrats cannot fund. This is what they have to try to stop.”

Ezra Klein gives Democrats the rationale for allowing a government shutdown.

Biden Campaign: Trump Is Pushing GOP Toward Shutdown

“House Republicans are gleefully letting Donald Trump function as their chief political strategist at the expense of American families. Trump’s behavior is shameful, but unsurprising from someone who has demonstrated he couldn’t care less about the American people.”

— A spokesman for President Biden’s campaign hit House Republicans for heeding Donald Trump’s calls to dig in on a government shutdown if they don’t get “everything,” The Hill reports.

A GOP Lunatic Calls the GOP Lunatics Lunatics

“This is not conservative Republicanism. This is stupidity. The idea that we’re going to shut the government down when we don’t control the Senate, we don’t control the White House. These people can’t define a win. They don’t know how to take yes for an answer. It’s a clown show. You keep running lunatics. You’re going to be in this position.”

— Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY), on CNN.

Schumer Worries Trump Make Shut Down Government Over Impeachment

“I’m increasingly worried that President Trump may want to shut down the government again because of impeachment, an impeachment inquiry. He always likes to create diversions.”

— Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) said he was growing more worried that President Trump could force a government shutdown as soon as next month over the impeachment fight, The Hill reports.