The Opinionated Ogre is a Stay-at-Home parent first, foul-mouthed hater of fascist Republicans second. He’s been making the most horrible people in the country miserable for 15 years and the hate he feels for American Nazis is eternal and without limits. He plans to stop torturing right-wing trash the day the last fascist dies. So, you know, never. Please help support this potty-mouthed newsletter for just $5/month or $50/year (Almost 17% less!)
As we enter Week Three of the Trump Shutdown, the damage Republicans are inflicting on the country is escalating, and it’s reasonable to ask how this ends. Do they have a plan? Is there a way out for the regime that results in a victory?
Ummmmm…no.
This was a stupid fight to pick, and no matter how it ends, even if Democrats eventually fold (which they REALLY should not), Republicans are going to lose. That’s what happens when you start a war without a plan or any idea what your exit strategy is. The regime was so focused on “owning the libs,” they didn’t consider anything else.
The public is still blaming Republicans more than Democrats. Is it overwhelmingly favoring Democrats? No. But it doesn’t need to. The fact that Republicans aren’t easily winning the messaging battle is a very bad sign for them. The party out of power always loses these fights, and quickly. But the argument is so lopsided towards Democrats, the natural advantage Republicans should be enjoying is gone.
That means the longer this goes on and the more damage the economy suffers, the more the public will sour on the regime. They’ll demand compromise, which is the one thing the regime will not do. Remember, compromise is weakness…
And that brings us to a week or so from now. November 1st, open enrollment for healthcare starts. Shortly before that, tens of millions of people will learn what next year’s prices will be without the expiring government subsidies. These would be the subsidies Democrats are fighting to have restored. The same subsidies Republicans told Democrats to “go fuck yourself” over.
What do you suppose will happen when tens of millions of people discover their healthcare is going to go up by several hundred dollars because Republicans refuse to renew the subsidies? And then connect the dots to the shutdown?
My guess is that social media will be flooded with furious posts, and public polling will shift rather sharply against the regime.
And that’s putting aside all of the economic damage the shutdown is wreaking on the wider economy. Hundreds of thousands of families are missing paychecks. National parks are closing. Contracts are on hold. Construction is slowing down (in addition to the slowdown already in progress)
On top of all of that, the assholes running the country are gleefully (and illegally) using the shutdown to fire government workers. DOGE taking an axe to the government was deeply unpopular. Doing it again and blaming the shutdown won’t work. We’ve all lived through several shutdowns, and no one was ever fired. Treating the public like they’re fucking morons who can’t remember what happened a few years ago is insulting and will simply piss people off.
It doesn’t help that immediately after firing 4,100 people, hundreds had to be rehired. Nothing says “We’re winning!” like rank incompetence and fanatical stupidity.
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And, finally, we come to the Epstein Files, one of the main reasons we’ll be in this shutdown for as long as possible. The press does not want to frame it this way, but they’re going to have to talk about it eventually: The Adelita Grijalva problem.
Grijalva crushed her opponent on Sept. 23. At first, Mike Johnson said he had to wait for the official paperwork to be filed, which everyone knew was a lie. Johnsin had previously sworn in both Republicans AND Democrats before the official state paperwork was filed.
Then Johnson said he couldn’t swear Grijalva in until the House was back in session. But that’s also a lie. He could swear her in at any time, regardless of the House being in full session or not.
It’s obvious that Johnson is delaying so his party of terrorists has more time to pressure the handful of Republicans ready to force the Epstein files into the open. But it’s been several weeks now, and Johnson hasn’t been able to beg, bribe, or bully them into submission. Very sad.
So what’s the plan here? Keep the government closed forever? That’s sure to play well with the public. Reopen the House but refuse to seat Grijalva? Maybe, but the courts will have something to say about that. Seat Grijalva after a lengthy delay and then illegally ignore the discharge petition? The courts will have something to say about that, as well.
Johnson may consider every day delayed a victory, but it’s not. The longer he blocks the vote, the more complicit House Republicans look in protecting pedophiles.
Even if Democrats caved tomorrow and ended the shutdown, Johnson will still have to protect Trump, and Republicans still lose. They do not have a plan. They never had a plan. They just scream and stomp their feet and lie and lie and lie and hope everyone stops paying attention. It’s worked before, hasn’t it?
Not this time. The fascists have stepped into a minefield of their own making with no way out. They didn’t have to go to the mat for a pedophile. But they did. They could have easily given Democrats what they asked for and taken the win on all of the other damage they’ve inflicted on the country with their sadistic budget. But they didn’t. No one is forcing the regime to spit in the public’s face during the shutdown, daring anyone to hold them accountable. But they’re doing it anyway.
When it all blows up in their face and the regime screams in outrage, I will personally give a shiny nickel to the first reporter who asks, “Did you actually think this was going to work out for you? Are you fucking stupid or drunk?”
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The Blue Wave has begun, and the fascist fucks are scared. There are 20 days until it hits Virginia and Pennsylvania. If I were a billionaire fascist loser, I’d think REALLY hard about getting out of the way.