Closing Congress?

Today's opposition in Congress is currently halting many events in the United States government. The United States was originally not so savage when it came to political parties and their affect on legislation and the President. Today, party politics are the only politics. With a great divide such as this, it is rare that any important legislation ever passed. Today, Republicans and Democrats are divided on the military budget. Both agreed that it should be increased, but Republicans then want the spending to stop; whereas the Democrats want the budgets for other agencies to be increased as well. There is currently Republican infighting about the bill, which may lead to a shutdown on Friday.

The bipolarity of Congress mentioned in Chapter seven of Friends and Foes brought to mind a current issue in Congress: the question of an impending government shutdown. The book mentions that, “one motivated member of Congress can delay vital legislation, slash needed funding, or paralyze executive officials with a barrage of letters, requests, hearings, and reporting requirements.” This week in Washington D.C., Senator Dick Durbin, a democrat, said that unless the “Dreamers” issue was resolved, he planned to oppose the bill that would allow the government to stay open. Yet, another democratic senator said that spending bills should come first, despite the fact that the “Dreamers” issue is “important to all of us,” according to Reuters.

Here lies the importance of Congressional cooperation with the executive power. Will President Trump bend to the will of the Democrats and enable the “Dreamers” to stay in America? Or, will President Trump be willing to allow an entire government shutdown within his first year in office? The President can choose between two campaign promises: he can increase the military budget, or he can allow thousands of undocumented immigrants to stay in the United States.  
Article Referenced: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-congress-shutdown/democrats-flex-muscles-as-congress-confronts-a-government-shutdown-idUSKBN1DZ340