Republicans Revolt After Trump Demands A Government Shutdown

Donald Trump has called for Republicans to go forward with a government shutdown if they don’t pass a piece of legislation that Trump is pushing for (that would make it harder to vote), and some Republicans have had enough of his games. They are calling out the former president for his ridiculously stupid demand, pointing out that it would be a recipe for disaster to shut down the government a month before the election. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains what’s happening.

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*This transcript was generated by a third-party transcription software company, so please excuse any typos.

Well, folks, it looks like we could once again be headed towards yet another government shutdown. And this is of course, as I've mentioned, the seventh time since Republicans took over the House of Representatives in January of 2023. Seventh time, they have pushed us to the brink of a government shutdown. And Donald Trump is of course, pushing Republicans to shut down the government, which would begin at the end of September 30th. So one month and five days before the election, Donald Trump is telling them, shut down the government because this'll totally be good for us. Here's what Donald Trump put on truth social earlier this week. If Republicans in the House and Senate don't get absolute assurances on election security, they should in no way, shape or form go forward with a continuing resolution. So the Republican nominee for President of the United States is telling Republicans in the house, if you don't get Democrats on board with my idiotic legislation that I'm making you push, that'll make it harder for people to vote.

And of course, criminalize that which is already criminal. If you don't do that, shut down the government a month before the election. Now, the continuing resolution, uh, so far this week, not doing well. So we are headed towards that shutdown. Like most instances, I think there may be enough Smart Republicans, and, you know, you use that word loosely, uh, who understand how bad this is and will force the continuing resolution with or without the save act, which is the legislation again, that makes it illegal for non-citizens to vote in the United States, which has always been illegal. So don't really need it. The only thing it really does extra that Republicans want, of course, is gives states more authority to kick people off the voting rolls. If they have a name that doesn't sound like a native born US citizen, that's what it would do. So they would kick people off the voting rolls.

People wouldn't know it till they show up to vote and then boom, they can't vote. Republicans get what they want. That's the point of it. However, as I said, couple Smart Republicans out there, one of them, Mitch McConnell, Mitch McConnell said, shutting down the government is always a bad idea no matter what time of year it is. And he is a hundred percent right. Like it's never a smart idea. It's never a good negotiating tool either, but that's where we're headed. Another Republican said this will mo most likely force a suspension vote that the speaker will have less influence over. This is not a good time for distractions. That was Republican John, uh, Duarte from California. However, some Republicans are all for it. Marjorie Taylor Greene is for it. Other extremist Republicans want this to happen. Let's shut down the government.

If we don't get our way 100% of the time, we're gonna take our ball and go home right before an election. You know, I don't want the government to shut down because that is very bad for the country. It is bad for workers, it is bad for the economy. But there's also that part of me that knows how bad this would be for Republicans. And so there is, and I think a lot of people feel this too. You know, that selfish part of you that's like, you know what? Do it, do it and see what happens. Do it and watch the voters revolt against you. But that's a small part of me. The mature, sane, reasonable, rational part of me understands we don't need a government shutdown. Workers will be the ones who suffer. So I do not want the government to shut down. But I will say right here, right now, if it does, Republicans can kiss their majority in the House of Representatives. Goodbye.