If a Government shutdown actually would help Trump's ultimate agenda, Trump would have arranged it.

[radius777]

10. Exactly, Trump/Vance whipped hard to get all R's

to vote for it, so they wouldn't need to compromise with Dems. Trump did not want a shutdown, as it would further cause markets to deteriorate, gov't services to dry up - and for Trump's poll numbers to fall further.

Beltway politicians simply don't get it - the general public doesn't even know what Congress/Senate does. But they know who the president is and will blame him for it, as polls show. Especially that Trump calls himself the 'deal maker'. If deals aren't getting done it would be his fault.

The Dems gave up the one lever of power they had, and in doing so, only helps to enable what is happening. Now the Republicans have a clear path to pass their Reconciliation bill (with mega tax cuts for rich, big cuts to programs) which only requires a simple majority in the Senate, nothing Dems can do to stop it.