Will Republicans shut down the government over Planned Parenthood?
Harry Reid says budget talks are stuck on the GOP's stubborn insistence that federal funding for Planned Parenthood be scrapped
Another night of budget talks failed to produce a deal acceptable to President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), and House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). Reid said that money isn't the holdup, but rather the GOP's "line in the sand" over its hundreds of policy amendments, especially those to defund Planned Parenthood and curb EPA enforcement. Such big policy issues "have no place on a budget bill," Reid said. Could the government really shut down over Planned Parenthood?
The GOP is putting ideology first: The Democrats aren't blameless here — they should have just passed a budget last year, says Stephen Reader in Death + Taxes. But "Reid is right": If the government shuts down, it's because of "the Republican agenda" on "abortion and pollution." Democrats have met them "more than halfway" on spending. But clearly, the GOP thinks its social ideology is more important than your livelihood.
"The government shutdown is about abortion and pollution"
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The ball is in the Dems' court: Republicans have done their part to keep government open, says John McCormack in The Weekly Standard. But Obama and Reid won't allow another one-week extension, which only contains two "riders" — neither of which deals with Planned Parenthood or the EPA. In fact, "it's quite amazing" that Democrats are "now insisting that taxpayer-funding of abortion" is more important than funding the troops and keeping "budget negotiations going."
"Harry Reid: We can't pass troop funding bill because..."
We just want a deal, not fingerpointing: Can we just stop it with the "cynical political games," says Doug Mataconis in Outside the Beltway. "If this was really about making sure the troops get paid," both sides would pass a rider-free bill to do so. And pushing off a shutdown "for another week just means we'll be back here again arguing the same stuff over and over again." Look, the public doesn't care; all we want is a deal. And polls show we'll "blame both sides pretty much equally" if D.C. fails to reach an agreement.
"Cynical political games, military pay, and government shutdowns"
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
National Enquirer helped Trump in 2016, ex-boss says
Speed Read David Pecker says the tabloid published fabricated content to hurt Trump's rivals
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Congress starts clock on TikTok ban in foreign aid bill
Speed Read Lawmakers believe that the app poses a national security threat
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Pros and cons of universal health care
Pros and Cons A medical system that serves everyone comes with its own costs, and they're not only financial
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Arizona court reinstates 1864 abortion ban
Speed Read The law makes all abortions illegal in the state except to save the mother's life
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, billions richer, is selling Bibles
Speed Read The former president is hawking a $60 "God Bless the USA Bible"
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The debate about Biden's age and mental fitness
In Depth Some critics argue Biden is too old to run again. Does the argument have merit?
By Grayson Quay Published
-
How would a second Trump presidency affect Britain?
Today's Big Question Re-election of Republican frontrunner could threaten UK security, warns former head of secret service
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
'Rwanda plan is less a deterrent and more a bluff'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By The Week UK Published
-
Henry Kissinger dies aged 100: a complicated legacy?
Talking Point Top US diplomat and Nobel Peace Prize winner remembered as both foreign policy genius and war criminal
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Last updated
-
Trump’s rhetoric: a shift to 'straight-up Nazi talk'
Why everyone's talking about Would-be president's sinister language is backed by an incendiary policy agenda, say commentators
By The Week UK Published
-
More covfefe: is the world ready for a second Donald Trump presidency?
Today's Big Question Republican's re-election would be a 'nightmare' scenario for Europe, Ukraine and the West
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published