Shutdown Showdown
Every few years, Washington grinds to a halt, and ordinary Americans pay the price. Whether you lean left, right, or somewhere in the middle, it’s hard to watch our leaders turn governing into a game of chicken.
I’m not a politician, and I’m certainly not a partisan strategist. My views are decidedly centrist; shaped more by common sense and a love of country than by party talking points. From that perspective, the current government shutdown fight in Washington looks absurd.
Democrats and Republicans are locked in a standoff that defies logic. The Democrats are holding up government funding to push for policies that would actually help the Republicans (and millions of Americans). And the Republicans in Congress refuse to accept what’s clearly in their own political interest. It’s as if both parties are determined to lose.
But beyond the foolishness, something deeper worries me. While Congress bickers over budget brinkmanship, our democracy teeters on the edge of something far darker. We are watching the slow normalization of authoritarian behavior and treating it like just another political game.
If I were, heaven forbid, a member of Congress, I wouldn’t vote to fund this government without first demanding basic accountability and constitutional respect. Here’s what that might look like:
No Masks: Federal law enforcement officers should never conceal their identities. Citizens have a right to know who represents their government.
No Handcuffs on Kids: Children should not be restrained by federal agents unless they are being lawfully arrested for an actual crime.
No Secret Detentions: U.S. citizens cannot be detained without probable cause. That principle isn’t negotiable. It’s foundational.
Congress’s Power of the Purse: The administration cannot withhold or redirect funds at will. That’s Congress’s job.
Posse Comitatus: The military doesn’t belong on our streets without a genuine emergency or congressional approval.
War Crimes: There is no justification for wanton murder when nonlethal alternatives are clearly available (at a much lower cost, I might add).
Illegal Tariffs: Tariffs are taxes. Congress, not the president, sets tax policy. All Americans are paying these in the form of higher prices.
Justice Department Independence: The DOJ should answer to the law, not the White House. The president is not the country's chief law enforcement officer.
No Vindictive Prosecutions: Americans must never be investigated or charged simply for criticizing those in power.
Fair IRS Oversight: Tax enforcement must be transparent and free from political bias.
Respect the Hatch Act: Public funds aren’t campaign cash. The government should serve citizens, not parties.
End Legal Intimidation: Lawsuits against universities, media outlets, and states for political reasons erode our freedoms.
This list isn’t exhaustive. It doesn’t even touch on the other reckless actions that endanger our health, economy, alliances, and future. The second Trump administration has turned governing into a loyalty test, and the price is our democracy.
But this isn’t only about Trump. It’s about how fragile freedom becomes when citizens stop paying attention. It’s about demanding better from everyone in power, no matter their party.
We deserve a government that remembers its purpose – to protect liberty, ensure justice, and serve the people. Until it does, the administration won’t get my support. And it won’t get my silence.
