Blog Post 3.3 - "Quick Shut Down"

1. Congress failed to pass a new law funding the government before the old one expired. 
2. Essential services still continue, like the military, law enforcement, Social Security services, and air traffic controllers. Everyone deemed nonessential (40% of employees), like park services workers, are furloughed. 
3. Republicans need Democratic votes to get to the supermajority of 60 and pass the budget, so Democrats said they would not vote for the budget to pass without a deal on DACA. 
4. Keeping the government shut down on behalf of Dreamers is not seen too positively politically, and many Democrats are facing a tough reelection year in red states. Since the shutdown happened over the weekend, it was not a huge deal unless it extended over the week, so Democrats opted to restart the government quickly. 
5. The budget for the Children's Health Insurance Program was extended for six years, so state funding is secure and the families that were about to lose coverage can rest easy. 
6. Mitch McConnell said there would be a vote on some sort of bill addressing the status of Dreamers within the next two and a half weeks, and if nothing happened during that time that he would bring it up himself. 
7. The Democratic Party's backing down from the conflict has led to disappointment from its base and from activists, who are growing disillusioned with the party. 
8. Trump got the government reopened without making any concessions, and Republicans approve of his actions more than Democrats approve of their party's, and he did this by doing nothing. 
9. 62% of Democrats blame Trump for the shutdown. 
10. 85% of Republicans blame Democrats in Congress for the shutdown.