On the back of Trump’s gigantic tax cut and unbridled spending, federal deficit spending ballooned 42% in the last quarter, an increase of over $300 billion over the same period last year.  It’s the same old, same old – Republicans continue to slash taxes, pushing wealth further and further to the top while lying that cutting taxes magically increases revenue.  It wasn’t true in under Reagan, Bush I, and Bush II; and it’s still not true under Trump.  As we continue to war make, and increase income inequality, the American infrastructure is crumbling around our ears.  The number of Americans without healthcare is again growing, education is floundering,  gun violence is increasing, and hate groups are on the rise.

On top of all this, the tax burden that working class Americans is increasing.  As of last week, tax refunds are down almost 9%, even though revenues are flat and wages are essentially flat.  Trump’s sleight of hand is now costing more for those least able to shoulder that burden while deficit spending continues unabated.  The GOP invertebrates in Congress are doing nothing to check this president.

Remember that back in June, Trump caved on his cruel and illegal policy of separating children from their parents on the border.  Even though many kids remain separated , the stated strategy of tearing families apart was reversed.  Well, just now, Trump caved again, agreeing to a short term continuing resolution to reopen the government, and it doesn’t include money for his idiotic wall.  What changed?  Public opinion really did start turning as television reports of weeping federal employees hit the air waves.  Then Christopher Wray, director of the FBI, spoke out to all of his employees about how angry he is over the shutdown; the commandant of the Coast Guard spoke out publicly in opposition, and then, the FAA ordered a ground stop this morning at La Guardia airport in New York citing a shortage of controllers to safely move aircraft through our airspace.  Apparently, this was the straw that broke the camel’s back, and the tsunami of opposition to his shutdown FINALLY got through the orange ferret sitting on his head.  And he caved.

Trump is now right back to where he was two weeks before Christmas except that millions of Americans have been injured from his folly and his poll numbers are lower if that was even possible.  Oh, and he lied about how so many federal employees wanted him to keep going on the shutdown which is outrageous.  His “deal” to reopen government is only for 3 weeks.  We’ll see what the Dems do.

The funny thing? Trump did get his wall, and her name is Nancy Pelosi.

It’s starting to happen.  The air traffic control system is breaking down because of Trump’s shutdown for nothing.  LaGuardia was ground stopped completely due to shortage of controllers, and Newark, JFK, and Philadelphia are experiencing significant delays.

I predict the government shutdown will be over this weekend, a huge loss for Trump and his supporters.

In probably one of the most shocking examples of absolute tone deafness (since Donald Trump last opened his yap), billionaire and bottom fisherman Wilbur Ross put on full display the problem within the current infestation of the White House – complete and abject lack of understanding or empathy towards American workers, especially those who happen to be on the federal payroll.

Today, in a jaw dropping moment, Ross, who’s made his money Hoovering up distressed companies and firing people for profit, remarked on CNBC that he didn’t understand why federal employees who’ve been furloughed are going to food banks and homeless shelters.  He said they should just be able to go get a loan since it is “essentially a government guaranteed loan”.  To add insult to injury, Ross dismissed the crisis, saying that “it’s only 800,000 people who only make up .3% of GDP.”  He completely ignores the multiplier effect of those people having no money to spend and the huge risks they’re taking in everything from air transportation to food safety.  What an ass.  Here it is, but you’ll have to hold your nose to listen.

As demographics move against Republicans, they have become more and more desperate to cling to power by changing rules, moving the goal posts, and just outright cheating.  Beginning around 2002, lead by Tom DeLay, they raised gerrymandering to an art form, making it almost impossible for Dems to win in thousands of state and federal districts around the country.  Voter suppression with dog whistle “voter ID” bills around the country has kept untold numbers of perfectly qualified voters from voting.  Every election, they come up with some fake crisis to drive their mouthbreathing base to the polls.  In between, to keep everyone on edge, they’ve started using debt limit showdowns and now government shutdowns to get what they want.  Let’s be clear – by threatening the nation’s credit and millions of federal workers, Republicans are hostage-taking, plain and simple.  Trump, the trashy reality television star, is rashly using the latest shutdown as a bludgeon as this preferred alternative to actually legislating and governing.  This winner take all mentality that has infected Republicans is tearing the country apart, making life miserable for millions, and costing the economy billions all over his 5th century solution to a 21st century problem.  The Dems know that they simply can’t cave on this issue, because then Trump would use the tactic every single time he didn’t get what he wanted from the legislative branch.  Republicans in the Senate are in lock step behind Trump, cynically wrecking the lives of millions of Americans while their dear leader plays games.  It’s cruel.  And stupid.

Enter Mark Warner, US Senator from Virginia.  He’s called bullshit on the shutdown by introducing the Stop the STUPIDITY act, which stands for:

S-hutdowns
T-ransferring
U-nnecessary
P-ain
I-nflicting
D-amage
I-n
T-he (coming)
Y-ears

The bill is designed to take this particular hostage-taking tool away from Republicans.  It’s common sense and simple.  It provides for continued funding of the government at current levels if a new appropriation bill fails to pass, adjusted for inflation.  It also ceases funding for the legislative and executive branches until a funding bill is passed.  I like the idea of this bill a lot.  Let’s inflict pain directly on those causing the problem, not innocent government workers and military who are serving their country.  I know the chance of it passing this Senate is low, but when something terrible happens due to the shutdown, and it eventually will, there could be enough pressure on Repubs to grow spines and stand up on their hind legs.

To not pass a bill like this certainly is STUPID.

Who knew?  We did.  Normal people did.  Many of us felt like we were standing in front of a train hurtling towards a cliff screaming, “STOP! STOP!” while it sped up as it reached the edge.  Well, we’re reaching the edge, and it is virtually 100% Trump induced. When he got his gigantic tax cut rammed through, the business community cheered.  When he started his trade war, the business community was concerned, but his base cheered.  Then he pissed off our closest allies and estranged us from NATO while cozying up to Putin.  He’s now pushing lifting sanctions against Russia.  And worse?  We’re now in our 32nd day of an unprecedented government shutdown, Trump holding a gun to the head of 800,000 workers and the entire US economy.

As this disaster drags on, adults in the room have gone from reluctant questioning to full fledged alarm.  Jamie Dimon of JP Morgan says a long shutdown could wipe out the entire first quarter of economic growth.  Worse, some economists are worrying about a global slowdown, especially since China is also suffering from the trade war (even though their trade surplus with us has exploded since Trump started his idiotic trade war).  The invertebrates in DC, led by Ol’ Scratch McConnell, do nothing but make fundraising calls for re-election.

And the American people are helpless to do anything.  Representatives’ and Senators’ voicemail boxes are full, no one is taking calls, and emails get canned responses.  Trumpists cheer as Rome burns.

And the real problem?  You can’t negotiate with kidnappers.  If the Dems cave to Trump’s demands, this will become his normal negotiating tactic.  He’ll skip congress all together and just shut down the government every time he can’t get what he wants.  The result is that, unfortunately,  this is a game of chicken that the Dems can’t lose.