MAGA Hardliners Are Laying The Ground For Another Government Shutdown In A Week And A Half

March 14 is in 10 days. That’s when the government runs out of money to keep the doors open… unless the Republicans figure out a way to fund it. MAGA Mike and Thune want a clean continuing resolution to fund departments at current levels. Their extremists, of course, are freaking out because they want to see the DOGE “savings” codified. Meanwhile, Democrats say if MAGA Mike needs their votes— and he certainly does— they want something in the bill to force Trump to spend the appropriated money the way Congress appropriated it, rather than just spend what he wants on whatever he and Musk decide to spend it own and ignore whatever they don’t want to spend it on. Republicans don’t have the guts to bring something like that up for a vote for fear of offending the co-presidents.

The last time Republicans forced a government shutdown— December 22, 2018 to January 25, 2019 (35 days the longest in history)— the consequences were devastating for millions of Americans. Vital federal services ground to a halt, leaving over 800,000 workers furloughed without pay while the GOP’s hardliners played political games with people’s livelihoods. National parks and museums shuttered, disrupting tourism and local economies, while food assistance programs faced funding shortages, endangering vulnerable families. Scientific research stalled, delaying medical advancements, and small businesses relying on federal loans were left in limbo. Meanwhile, Wall Street barely flinched, exposing yet again how these manufactured crises always hurt working people the most. And for what? A cynical, performative tantrum driven by extremist Republicans willing to sabotage their own government to appease their base—proving yet again that they prioritize chaos and obstruction over governance.

It looks like MAGA Mike will hold off a vote until the last minute in order to pressure members who don’t want to be blamed for a shut-down. Jake Sherman, John Bresnahan and Andrew Desiderio reported that MAGA Mike talking up a bipartisan plan that leaves out the DOGE nonsense “should lower the temperature on a potential shutdown. Yet it could cause problems inside the House Republican Conference. Some House Republicans say Johnson is funding the government with Democratic help and cutting no spending from last year’s Joe Biden-approved levels. Which is true. But that’s what Johnson has to do given how slim his margin is.” Thomas Massie (R-KY) has already announced he’s a hard “no”— and he’s not like loonie-bin escapee Victoria Spartz; when he says he’s voting “no, he’s voting “no.” That leaves Jeffries with just one more GOP “no” vote before the whole CR mess is flushed down the toilet. Extremists like Marjorie Traitor Greene are already beating the drums of war. This is ominous:

Most senior Hill staffers say their member of Congress believes there will likely be a government shutdown this year, including 76% of Democrats and 37% of Republicans.

Jacob Bogage reported that a clash over Señor Trumpanzyy’s “attempt to seize powers the Constitution delegates to lawmakers threatens to stall talks and force a shutdown. Republican negotiators walked away from talks over the weekend to reach a deal on a top-line number on how much the federal government should spend for the rest of the 2025 fiscal year, which runs through Sept. 30. Democrats had said that number is irrelevant if Trump refuses to spend the money in accordance with the law— or if he empowers billionaire Elon Musk and his DOGE Service to terminate federal contracts and lay off tens of thousands of federal workers without regard to Congress’s wishes.”

Trump and advisers including budget chief Russell Vought have argued that the president has the power to withhold money that Congress orders spent, arguing that a post-Watergate law that limits that power is unconstitutional. Musk’s DOGE team has been unilaterally terminating contracts and pushing to shed federal staff.

Now Democrats say they want assurances from congressional Republican and the White House that the administration will actually spend the money included in any new law preventing a shutdown.

“Money is just being pilfered. They’re stealing funds that are supposed to go to American families and businesses,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro (Connecticut), House Democrats’ chief negotiator. “If we’re going to go through the agreement and get the topline and hammer it all out and someone comes along and upends it, that’s what we want to try to avoid.”

Trump and Musk say their cuts are aimed at rooting out waste. Congressional Republicans are broadly happy to back the administration’s position. Trump will address a joint session of Congress Tuesday night.

… House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) told reporters last week that Democrats’ demands were a “gross separation of powers violation and a terrible precedent for Congress to engage in.”

“That’s a nonstarter for us, and the Democrats know that, so it looks like they’re in a posture right now where they’re making individual appropriations bills almost impossible,” Johnson said. “I’m really hopeful that they’ll back off those outrageous demands because it’s unprecedented and I think probably unconstitutional, and it’s not anything we’ll be a part of.”

…But Democrats do hold significant leverage even in the minority. In the House, GOP infighting has forced Johnson— and his predecessor Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)— to rely on votes from Democrats to avert previous shutdowns. It’s not clear that House Republicans could have united behind a top-line spending agreement that did not significantly slash funding, according to lawmakers and others close to negotiations, some of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations.

Rep. Warren Davidson (R-OH), for example, threatened to vote against a GOP budget last week because his party did not have sufficient plans to cut spending for the rest of fiscal 2025, he said.

In the Senate, Republicans hold a three-seat majority, but cannot overcome the 60-vote threshold to head off a filibuster. That gives Democrats the ability to halt movement on funding bills without a suitable agreement. They say they will insist on compliance with the 1974 Impoundment Control Act, the law that the White House says is unconstitutional.

“The law exists and the law has been upheld, and as far as I’m concerned, that’s the end of the conversation,” Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) said.

The standoff has appropriators warming to a long-term continuing resolution, or CR, which would extend federal funding at current levels through the fiscal year rather than through individual funding bills for each major department.

But even then, Democrats say a CR does not protect congressionally authorized funding from unlawful impoundments.

“He’s violating the law. He’s violating the law now and he’s going to violate the law later. It’s ultimately up to the courts to decide,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT). “Republicans are in charge. They need to find a way to keep the government open.”