Government funding fight proves US Congress dysfunctional
- By Mitchell Blatt
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E-mail China.org.cn, February 16, 2015
In reality, the DHS would remain open, and probably only 15 percent of its staff would be furloughed; the remaining 85 percent are deemed as essential to the function of government and would be exempted from a shutdown.
So, what do the Republicans gain or, indeed, lose?
In 2013, the views of the public were narrowly against them. A total of 53 percent, according to an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll blamed the Republicans in Congress, while only 31 percent blamed Obama.
There are some key differences between now and then, however. In 2013, Republicans were acting against a law that Congress had passed through, while this time they are challenging an executive action that hasn't been democratically dealt with. This time, because everything else in government already has funding, it's only the DHS that might suffer.
Still, historic polls from the 1995 shutdowns, which also occurred while the Republicans controlled both legislatures, and the 2011 funding fight, show they bore the brunt of the blame. The Republicans might have more leverage this time if they hadn't spent so much capital on their failed fight in 2013. After the damage their brand suffered, the Republican leadership is reluctant to embark on another such battle.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he wants to prove the Republicans can govern effectively. "We will not be shutting the government down or threatening to default on the federal debt,"
Yet the battle lines are drawn as much within the Republican Party as they are between the Republicans and Democrats. An intra-party schism exists between pragmatic leaders like McConnell and young "Tea Party" stars like Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Cruz, who was the leading force behind the 2013 shutdown, thinks the 2013 shutdown was beneficial by showing the party could fight leading to last year's Senate victory.
In the end, though, the Republicans have very little leverage over a man coming to the end of his presidency.
It may prove to be a lot of hot air, showing Americans their political system is increasingly dysfunctional.
The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/MitchellBlatt.htm
Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.
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