It is a fundamental truth in politics that legislators on both sides of the aisle favor pork-barrel spending on special interest projects, which, in return, provide campaign funding, voter support, media attention, and well-paying, no-stress job opportunities for family and friends.

The problem: How to push special interest legislation through the machine without undue public scrutiny, the spectacle of public debate, and the necessity to attach one’s name to self-serving legislation.

The answer: Attach unpalatable legislation to a “must pass” bill or create a crisis that demands the passage of a last-minute bill that buries everything in an ocean of incomprehensible legalese, which leaves the actual lawmaking up to the bureaucracy with their administrative rules and regulations.

The threat: Use one of the most pervasive myths in American politics, that a government shutdown is an unavoidable catastrophe that demands and compels legislators to accept whatever pre-jiggered legislation is on the table.

In reality, the consequences of a government shutdown are often exaggerated, as many essential government functions continue. While a shutdown certainly disrupts services, it doesn’t halt the functioning of the entire government.

Despite this, politicians and their chosen media propagandists expertly cultivate the fear of a shutdown. They create a narrative that leads to a heightened sense of urgency that can drown out rational discussion. This feigned panic creates an artificial environment where legislators are seen to be “pressured to make concessions,” leading them to accept measures they might not support under normal circumstances. As a result, radical proposals can slip through the cracks at 2 a.m. without being witnessed by citizens and justified by the urgency of the moment.

The truth is that, in the aftermath of a shutdown, everybody receives retroactive pay for their mini staycation. An honest retrospective examination of the situation would reveal that only significant public-facing services that inconvenience ordinary individuals were temporarily closed.

In essence, political business is usual, with the citizens getting screwed on behalf of the wealthy and politically connected.

Unless you graduated from a public school that taught perverse sexual practices and political activism instead of civics, the legislative calendar in Congress is predictable. It is marked by a series of established dates for budget approvals, appropriations, and recesses. While these well-established deadlines should serve as a framework for planning and discussion, they often become weapons in political battles where legislators pretend they are racing against the clock and the stakes are rising, igniting fears of the dreaded government shutdown.

This dynamic creates a cycle where rational discourse is overshadowed by anxiety. Instead of utilizing the calendar as a tool for orderly governance, it transforms into a pressure cooker, where the urgency of the moment overrides the need for thoughtful legislation. This is not a natural occurrence; it is a manufactured crisis that serves the interests of those who benefit from chaos.

An ode to Rahm Emanuel, former Chief of Staff to Barack Obama and Mayor of Chicago, the city of corruption…

Instead of engaging in robust debate within the established timelines, some members of Congress exploit these chaotic moments to introduce radical ideas that might struggle to survive in calmer waters. The rationale? When time is short, and tensions are high, there’s a greater chance of bypassing thorough scrutiny. Bills that might have faced significant opposition during a normal legislative session are often rushed through in the name of urgency.

Consider the recurring debates over funding essential government services or raising the debt ceiling. Each deadline brings the potential for media-hyped catastrophic outcomes, and in the flurry of panic, legislators are frequently coerced into accepting measures they would typically oppose. The pressure to avoid a shutdown or financial disaster creates an environment ripe for compromise, but often at the expense of thoughtful consideration and public input.

Today’s Example.

It is well understood that the fundamental characteristics to define a country and its status within the global community typically include:

1. Defined Borders: A country has specific geographical boundaries that delineate its territory.

2. Sovereignty: It possesses the authority to govern itself without external interference.

3. Population: A country is made up of people who reside within its borders, forming a community.

4. Citizenship: This refers to the legal status of individuals as members of the country, often conferring rights and responsibilities.

5. Government: A structured political system that provides order, makes laws, and implements policies.

6. Recognition: Other nations and international organizations often recognize a country, which can influence its legitimacy.

7. Economy: A functioning economic system that manages resources, trade, and commerce.

8. Cultural Identity: A shared culture, language, and traditions that contribute to a sense of national identity.

Most legislators publicly acknowledge that illegal aliens are not citizens and, under federal law, it’s already a crime for noncitizens to vote in a federal election.

So why are the progressive communist democrats so opposed to attaching H.R.828, the SAVE (Safeguard American Voter Eligibility) Act, which would require voters to provide proof of citizenship in person when registering to vote in a federal election, to the current Continuing Resolution to fund the government through March 2025 or risk the dreaded government shutdown? 

The Continuing Resolution was necessary because our legislators couldn’t meet the statutory September 30th deadline to submit normal and customary funding bills.

Of course, the answer is politics in an election year when the progressive communist democrats are pandering to Hispanics by favoring citizenship for illegal aliens, or should I say, future progressive communist democrats.

And progressive communist democrats usually win because the Republicans lack the cojones to call them out and secretly want to keep the money flowing.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has announced that the House will be voting on a three-month stopgap funding bill to keep the federal government open until December 20th.

On Sunday, Johnson (R-La.) announced that the House will vote on the bill next week.

If the measure is implemented, the government will avoid a shutdown, which is scheduled to begin at the start of next month.

In a letter to colleagues, Johnson said the “legislation will be a very narrow, bare-bones CR including only the extensions that are absolutely necessary.”

“While this is not the solution any of us prefer, it is the most prudent path forward under the present circumstances,” he continued. “As history has taught and current polling affirms, shutting the government down less than 40 days from a fateful election would be an act of political malpractice.”

Johnson’s plan does not include any provisions of the SAVE Act, which requires proof of citizenship to register to vote. Johnson had previously attempted to link the act to a six-month continuing resolution, but the House rejected the proposal last week.

Bottom line…

The chaos we observe in Congress is not merely a product of external pressures; it is often a strategic choice by party leadership. By recognizing the tactics behind engineered chaos, we can advocate for a more thoughtful approach to legislation that prioritizes the needs of the American people over the urgency of manipulated deadlines.

It’s our fault. “We the People” do not demand accountability in governance and continue to elect professional politicians who have made politics and political payoffs into careers devoid of public service.

As citizens, it is our responsibility to demand this from our leaders and hold them accountable for their choices in our name.

We are so screwed.

-- Steve

“I would rather have questions that can't be answered than answers that can't be questioned.”– Nobel Laurate and Physicist Richard Feynman.