“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson.

Washington is reaching a consensus: the government will shut down in 10 days — and Republicans will bear the brunt of voter disgust over it.

With House GOP leadership on Wednesday again showing little progress in moving a stopgap funding bill to prevent a shutdown, officials have begun a two-pronged effort to prepare for a shutdown that seems less avoidable every day.

There is the official side of government, where the Biden administration’s Office of Management and Budget has been working with agencies to make contingency plans for when funding runs out. And there is the political arena, where party operatives are focused on a different goal: inflicting maximum pain on their Republican adversaries and seeking to pin them with blame for an interruption in federal services and paychecks for government workers.

While both sides will inevitably throw blame at the other, Republicans are feeling a keen sense of apprehension that their party will suffer badly should a shutdown transpire.

“We always get the blame,” said Rep. Mike Simpson (R-Idaho), a senior appropriator. “Name one time that we’ve shut the government down and we haven’t got the blame.”

  • SinningStromgald@lemmy.world
    40·
    1 year ago

    I think instead of government shutdowns from now on we should have government lockups. Congress can’t come to an agreement? Everyone in Congress goes to jail till they sort it out. Bologna and cheese sandwiches on white bread with water three times a day and a 6’x8’ cell for every two members of Congress.

    All other government employees keep getting paid and keep doing their jobs but Congress goes jail to sort it’s shit out.

    Like time out for kids.

    • doggle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      5·
      1 year ago

      Ehh… hard for them to negotiate by yelling through cell doors, no?

      I’d settle for locking them in the house floor until they’ve got it figured out.

    • Bytemeister@lemmy.worldΕλληνικά
      1·
      1 year ago

      I’m a fan of “if government spending is so out of control” then when you vote "no"on funding the government, the immediate action is that all of your financial privileges as a congressmen are suspended. No pay, no travel allowance, no health insurance, not even a fucking parking pass. And you stay that way until you vote yes…on the NEXT government funding bill. Put your money where your mouth is.