To be accurate, it's a partial government shut down. I think the number I heard is that roughly 800,000 federal workers are effected, but the number of other folks indirectly effected is much larger and growing larger each day.
My two cents. If border security is a "crisis", it should have and could have been a "crisis" a long time ago. I find the situation to be unreasonable to attempt to call something a "crisis" that doesn't need immediate and dire attention.
I don't think this impasse is about border security. I think the impasse is about "winning", and right now neither side can come up with a solution that they both can take and call a win, or even a winning compromise for that matter. And the facts of the impasse seem to consistently "evolve". I use that word lightly and sarcastically because it seems to be used more and more - facts evolve.
A long time ago in a marriage counseling session, the counselor informed me there are really only three options when it comes to problem solving. First, two parties commit to working together to create a solution and find ways to adhere to the solution. And it's very possible in this scenario that the solution isn't equal for both sides; it's very possible that a fair and attainable solution means one side giving in just a bit more than the other. Second, two parties can just battle - argue, debate, fight, insult, etc... In this way, one side simply attempts to overpower the other in any way it can. Eventually someone will win, but the solution is created with only one side really feeling value. Third, the two parties can avoid each other. In this fashion, no solution is reached, but no conflict exists either.
And right now, we are in the third scenario. Each side is avoiding each other and hoping pressure will mount on the other side to motivate that side to find a way to a solution. And from what I've heard on the Sunday morning news/press shows, that seems a long way off.
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