BIG HEADLINES…

1. POLITICS.
   Kremlin document reveals Putin’s strategy to screw Trump. MORE DETAILS 

2. PEOPLE.
   CT Woman arrested for keeping step-son prisoner for decades. LEARN MORE

3. TECH WARNING.
   All users of APPLE PRODUCTS targeted in new hack. WHAT TO KNOW

4. WAR.
   Russia reject US Proposal for Ceasefire. MORE ON THIS

5. WOW!
   Resort where US Student went missing runs flash sale. DETAILS HERE

6. DOG DOCTOR
   Dog is credited for discovering woman’s breast cancer. STORY HERE

7. NIGHTMARE on WALL ST.
   Hedge Funds taking steps not seen since COVID. LEARN MORE

8. CRIMINALS
   Trump admin launches criminal probe into NYC migrant shelters. THE FACTS

A CLOWN SHOW IN D.C.

Government Shutdowns: The Chaos, the Consequences, and the Cure

Brace yourselves, America—the Democrat clowns in congress are leading us into another government shutdown. The biggest clown is the liberal minority leader, Senator Charles Schumer of N.Y. The fact that he remains a senator is a testament to how screwed up New York is today — who would vote for this clown? Either way, the shutdown is barreling toward us like a freight train with no brakes, and the political clowns in D.C. are too busy pointing fingers to pull the emergency lever. As a businessman, filmmaker, and unfiltered truth-teller, I’ve spent decades exposing the dysfunction that plagues our system, and nothing exemplifies it more than these maddening shutdowns. Let’s rip the Band-Aid off and get to the heart of this mess: why it happens, what it really means, the history of this insanity, and how the budget process ties into it all. Buckle up—this is going to be raw, real, and unapologetic.

Why Do Shutdowns Happen?
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass the appropriations bills needed to fund the federal government’s operations. These bills are the lifeblood of government agencies, covering everything from national defense to park rangers. When the legislative branch—our esteemed House and Senate—can’t agree on a budget by the deadline, the executive branch is forced to slam on the brakes. This isn’t some noble stand for principle; it’s a tantrum thrown by politicians who use the budget as a cudgel to push their pet agendas. Whether it’s defunding healthcare, border security, or some other hot-button issue, they hold the American people hostage, daring the other side to blink first. It’s a disgrace, plain and simple.

What Does a Shutdown Actually Mean?
Don’t let the term “shutdown” fool you into thinking the government just flips off the lights and goes home. It’s not that clean. Thanks to a 1980 interpretation of the 1884 Antideficiency Act, a shutdown means the government must halt all “non-essential” operations. That’s right—some things stop, but others keep rolling, and the chaos is palpable. National parks close, museums shutter, and federal workers get furloughed or forced to work without pay. You heard that right—hundreds of thousands of Americans, from air traffic controllers to FBI agents, are told to show up but don’t get a dime until the circus ends. Meanwhile, “essential” services—think Social Security payments, Medicare, and military operations—limp along, but even those feel the strain. The ripple effects are brutal: businesses near closed federal sites bleed revenue, contractors lose work, and economic growth takes a hit. It’s a self-inflicted wound, and we’re the ones who bleed.

A History of Shutdowns: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
America has been down this road before—too many times, in fact. Since the modern budget process began in 1976, we’ve had 23 funding gaps, with 10 leading to actual furloughs. Let’s start with the worst: the 2018-2019 shutdown, which lasted a soul-crushing 35 days. Triggered by a standoff over funding for a border wall, it was a masterclass in political stubbornness, costing the economy $11 billion, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Federal workers went without paychecks, food banks opened for government employees, and the nation watched in disgust as our leaders played chicken with our livelihoods.

Now, the fastest shutdown on record? That dubious honor goes to 1981, when President Reagan furloughed 241,000 workers for a mere half-day over a fight about $8.5 billion in budget cuts. It was over before most people noticed, but it set the stage for the madness to come. Over the past 16 years, we’ve seen plenty of recent debacles. In 2013, a 16-day shutdown erupted over efforts to defund the Affordable Care Act—another $24 billion hit to the economy, per Standard & Poor’s. Then there was the 2018 shutdown, a 3-day blip over immigration policy, costing $3 billion. Each one is a testament to Washington’s addiction to brinkmanship, and each one leaves scars on the American people.

The Budget: The Root of the Rot
All of this ties back to the budget process—or rather, the complete failure of it. The 1974 Congressional Budget Act was supposed to create order, forcing Congress to pass a budget resolution by April 15 and appropriations bills by October 1. But here’s the dirty secret: Congress has only met those deadlines four times in nearly five decades—1977, 1989, 1995, and 1997. Instead, they rely on “continuing resolutions” (CRs), temporary Band-Aids that keep the government funded at last year’s levels. According to the Congressional Research Service, we’ve had at least one CR in all but three fiscal years since 1977. It’s a broken system, riddled with inefficiencies and ripe for political gamesmanship. When deadlines loom, lawmakers weaponize the budget, attaching riders and poison pills to force their agendas, knowing the other side can’t stomach a shutdown. It’s not governance; it’s blackmail.

How Is a Shutdown Avoided—or Ended?
Avoiding a shutdown is simple in theory: Congress passes the 12 appropriations bills, the president signs them, and the government hums along. But in practice, it’s a Herculean task, thanks to partisan gridlock. The real avoidance comes through compromise—usually a CR that kicks the can down the road, buying time for negotiations. Look at 2024: Congress passed a “laddered CR,” staggering deadlines to March 1 and March 8, only to extend them again. It’s a coward’s way out, but it beats the alternative.

When a shutdown does happen, it ends when the political pain becomes unbearable. Polls turn sour, public outrage peaks, and one side caves. Take 1995-1996, when President Clinton and Speaker Gingrich battled for 26 days over spending levels. The public blamed Republicans, cracks formed in their ranks, and they folded. It’s always a war of attrition, and the American people are the collateral damage.

This Current Shutdown that Looms
With the stock market crashing on a daily basis due to the uncertainties of Trump’s tariffs, the leftists in the media are trying to pin the looming shutdown on the president. How ridiculous! Let’s not kid ourselves about who’s pouring fuel on this dumpster fire—Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer and his Democrat cronies are the arsonists-in-chief. Schumer recently declared that Democrats will flat-out refuse to support any spending bill, digging in their heels over their sacred cows like unchecked climate pork and handouts to their voter base, all while crying crocodile tears about ‘protecting the vulnerable.’ This isn’t principle; it’s sabotage. By rejecting a bill that could keep the government running, they’re gleefully steering us into a shutdown, knowing full well the pain it’ll inflict on federal workers, small businesses, and everyday Americans. Schumer’s playing chess with our livelihoods, betting that the public will blame the other side while his party hides behind sanctimonious soundbites. It’s a gutless, cynical power grab, and the Democrats deserve every ounce of scorn for putting politics over people.

The Bottom Line
Government shutdowns are a symptom of a deeper disease: a Congress that’s forgotten its duty to serve, not to sabotage. They’re not inevitable—they’re engineered by politicians who care more about scoring points than solving problems. The budget process needs an overhaul, not more Band-Aids. With this in mind, the Republicans are playing with fire in the sense that tariffs, higher prices for consumers and a shutdown, be it the fault of the previous administration, current Democrats, or the boogey man for that matter, will be a stain on the Republicans come the midterms. Fair or unfair, people vote with their wallets. People vote for stability. Right now, the wallets are getting robbed and the stability of things like the stock market are non-existent. Better get this solved fast, or Trump will be a lame duck president in his last two years.

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Have a great rest of your day.
Your Friend,
DML

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