By Bill Wilson
As Congressional Democrats’ “shutdown” of the federal government enters its fourth week, the question on most people’s mind is simple: what does the “end game” look like, what are the realistic outcomes? It is crystal clear that a view of “success” in this battle is vastly different for each side. There is no obvious center position or compromise.
The Republicans have made their end game obvious. Fund the government at the current levels until Nov. 21 and allow time to negotiate differences on policy points. The Democrats, unfortunately, are not as open on what their end game is. Simply put, they have entered into a winner-take-all fight in which the only way out is complete capitulation by the President and Republicans. It is not realistic; in fact, it is as delusional and untethered to reality as one can get.
Are the Democrats in Congress and around the country really so out of touch that they actually believe Republicans will cave in, undercut key provisions of the Big Beautiful Bill they worked so hard to enact, and enshrine leftist goals on illegal aliens and excessive, wild spending just to end the shutdown? Apparently so.
But these are not stupid people. What if that is not the real goal? What if the back and forth and deception are part of a totally different game, one that is out for a much bigger prize? If the leftists cannot honestly think they can get the temporary Obamacare subsidies made permanent and understand that the “healthcare for illegal aliens” is a toxic position to be stuck with, what are they after?
As the shutdown continues, pressure will start to build. Federal workers will miss more paychecks. The administration will need to scurry to find the funds to pay the military in nooks and crannies of the government — the equivalent of collecting the change in the sofa cushions. States will start to pull down Medicaid and food stamps will begin to dry up. In short, the military and the socialist welfare state will start to cease-up. That is the point where the Hard Left believes they can find leverage on President Trump.
They see this set of conditions as the ultimate win-win. Either nervous, weak-kneed Republicans in the Senate will surrender and give the Democrats what they are demanding or President Trump will be faced with an ominous choice — either suffer the anger of the color revolution mobs looking for the promised socialist grift; or take decisive action. And that decisive action can only be the declaration of an emergency order that becomes tantamount to martial law.
The neo-Marxists in the mainstream media and the Democrat Party will have their authoritarian dictator, they will have pushed and shoved and contrived to force President Trump to exercise the ultimate executive power. That, they believe, will ensure their success in 2026 elections and beyond. And, in their fevered minds, it will be the end of the Trump Restoration. It would be the high-water mark of MAGA, allowing the globalists and their trolls in government and academia and Hollywood to begin to take back what the people pried from their death grip.
Provocation. Provoke the President to take matters into his own hands, uphold his oath to defend the nation from all enemies foreign, and now domestic. And when he does, all hell will break loose.
The planned and secretly funded riots of George Floyd fame might look like a walk in the park compared to what will be unleashed. The controlled, corporate media would broadcast a never-ending stream of propaganda. Democrat-leftist controlled local governments will throw as many barriers in the way of returning to stability as possible. Just like Los Angeles County is now paying for rent and support services for illegal aliens, we are sure to see taxpayers raided and ripped off by local Democrat bosses for every scam and con imaginable.
And the Democrat “leaders” in Congress will pontificate hourly and demand their pound of flesh from each and every American.
This is what is coming unless the Democrats see reason and fund the government. But if it is confrontation they want, it is confrontation they will get. President Trump is not going to relent and give them the corrupt payoffs they are demanding. The Make American Great Again movement in the country will never allow it.
Buckle up! It could be a very bumpy year end.
Bill Wilson is the former president of Americans for Limited Government.
