Why Democrats Might Consider a Government Shutdown: Analyzing Failed Bombings and Other Insights

Liberal: Why Democrats Might Cause a Government Shutdown

Don’t count on a resolution to avert a government shutdown when the current stopgap funding expires on March 14, cautions Ed Kilgore of New York magazine. “With just over three weeks remaining until funding runs out, meaningful negotiations have been nearly non-existent,” and “the parties appear more divided than ever regarding acceptable spending levels.” “Crucially,” while Senate Democrats can filibuster any proposals, they are “appalled by the rapid and expanding power grabs by Trump and his allies — and what they are doing with that power.” “Passively observing this chaotic situation” appears detrimental for Democrats in Congress, “whose constituents are desperate for them to take action.” This could be their only opportunity this year to address it.

Jerusalem Post: Don’t Dismiss Foiled Bombings

A bomb placed on buses, intended “to explode during the Friday morning rush hour, could have claimed or injured hundreds of innocent lives” were it not for “a technical malfunction”; now, the perpetrators “must be tracked down, and those responsible — whether in the West Bank, Gaza, or Tehran — must face retribution,” asserts the editorial board of the Jerusalem Post. Initial indicators suggest Iran orchestrated the attack while Hamas militants from the West Bank carried it out; “if accurate, this is not merely a regional terror incident — it forms part of a larger strategy by Iran to undermine Israel through its proxies.” “An assertive and clear response is not only essential for deterrence — it is the sole way to guarantee that such an attack never approaches success again.”

Libertarian: Understanding Public Skepticism about DOGE

“Americans perceive government as inefficient,” yet “enthusiasm for DOGE remains tepid,” notes Reason’s J.D. Tuccille. Pew research indicates that 56% of Americans view government as “almost always wasteful and inefficient,” while “DOGE only garners a 39 percent favorable rating” in the latest poll by The Economist/YouGov. “DOGE encounters resistance from Democrats who acknowledge governmental corruption and inefficiency yet advocate for greater government involvement. It also faces hurdles from Republicans and independents who desire less government but are reluctant to forego their preferred subsidies.” Certainly, Americans “hold a low opinion of the federal government, but they may be willing to tolerate its deep flaws so long as it provides their benefits.”

Ukraine Update: Minerals Agreement is Crucial for Kyiv

President Trump’s suggested minerals deal “between the U.S. and Ukraine could provide substantial advantages for Ukraine,” concludes Kurt Volker at the Kyiv Post. Trump’s proposal shifts “the domestic political narrative, asserting that Ukraine is contributing financially,” rather than “relying on taxpayer funds.” Furthermore, “it establishes a vested interest for the U.S. in bringing an end to the conflict” while securing “Ukraine as a strategic ally” against Russia. “The initial draft of a U.S.-Ukraine resources deal was heavily flawed, but such a deal could incentivize Vladimir Putin and a diminished Russia to “conclude the conflict.” The agreement aligns “U.S. and Ukrainian objectives” and fosters “a peaceful, prosperous, European Ukraine.”

Cultural Critique: Hamas’ ‘Unforgivable’ Atrocity

“I have spent my life observing” the most “heinous acts,” recalls Bernard-Henri Lévy at The Wall Street Journal, but “I’m unsure I have ever witnessed such terror” as that faced by Kfir and Ariel Bibas and their mother Shiri. “In previous conflicts, the death of a child is regarded as the ultimate disgrace, and some sense of humanity” usually “prevents captors from tormenting infants.” However, Hamas intentionally took “the time to kidnap” the two “frightened” boys. And “as painful as it may be, we must envision” their final moments, “because the ultimate indignity” would be “to shut our eyes and refuse to acknowledge.” “Damn those who attempt to draw us into the false narrative of moral equivalency”; this “loss of innocence” is “Hamas’s atrocity alone — and it is inexcusable.”

— Compiled by The Post Editorial Board