In recent weeks, I have struggled to meet my self-imposed writing deadlines. A poorly timed onset of COVID-19, however, has provided an unexpected opportunity to reflect and write while isolated on my front porch with a computer and a cup of coffee. The ongoing government shutdown has emerged as a timely and significant subject of interest.
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It is my opinion that the Republican Party is responsible for the current government shutdown.
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Reason 1
Evidence supporting this conclusion can be found in a 2013 interview with Donald Trump, accessible at https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1457908685441984 . In this interview, Trump says that responsibility for a government shutdown rests with the sitting president and his party. After that interview, not sure how he can look to shift blame elsewhere.
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Reason 2
Although the consequences of this shutdown are deeply problematic for Democrats in the short term — and for the broader health of American democracy in the long term — Republicans have been willing to bypass the 60-vote rule (a key procedural safeguards within the Senate) when it is to their benefit. Specifically, Republicans disregarded the 60-vote rule and permitted a simple majority to confirm a series of President Trump’s nominees last month.
Fortunately, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) has stated that he will not employ the same tactic, commonly referred to as the “nuclear option,” to pass the continuing resolution (CR) required to reopen the government. Maybe he had a change of heart, and realized that the previous actions of bypassing rules designed to preserve checks on power was a bad idea.  

The question; however, still remains. If the nuclear option has already been used to advance Republican interests last month, why the hesitation to apply it now?
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Reason 3: My Conspiracy Theory
A more speculative consideration involves the potential relationship between the shutdown and the pending release of the Epstein files. Although the official justification for the shutdown centers on budgetary disputes, it is conceivable that other motivations are at play.
Currently, 218 signatures in the House of Representatives are required to compel a vote for the release of these files. When Congress reconvenes to address the budget, Representative Adelita Grijalva is expected to be sworn in, becoming the 218th signatory. 
Without bipartisan support, the Democrats alone cannot meet this threshold. At present, Republican representatives who have reportedly expressed support include Thomas Massie (Ky.), Nancy Mace (S.C.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), and Lauren Boebert (Colo.). However, there has been notable pressure within the Republican Party to remove names from the petition — possibly through backroom negotiations or political incentives.
For example, Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been a vocal advocate for the release of George Santos and even submitted a letter to the pardon attorney. It will be interesting to note whether future presidential actions favor Representatives Mace or Boebert, and whether Greene remains a signer following the perfectly-timed release of George Santos (having served only 84 days of a 7-year sentence).
Delays in reconvening to finalize the budget necessarily delay the swearing-in of Representative Grijalva, which in turn provides Republican leadership additional time to persuade signatories to alter their positions on the release of the Epstein files.