Shutdown Politics

The issue that led to the shutdown is more along the lines of who is going to get blamed by the voters rather than any fundamental differences.

The republicans liked the fact that the dreamers felt betrayed last time and took heat for agreeing to a short term deal that didn't include them, so they knew that they couldn't do it again.  Of course they shouldn't and why should they?

There's no reason to believe that if they delay doing something no that anything will happen before the next deadline.

Both sides want to allow the dreamers to stay as do most Americans.  They are not tied to any other issues related to immigration, they are a pretty clear category of people who while being born elsewhere grew up as Americans and are as American as anyone.

Clearly they were too young to have any control over where they went or lived and at this point should be allowed to stay and ultimately become citizens.

One could of course make a similar argument for anyone who has lived in this country for many years, but if they came here as an adult they knew what they were doing so in that case they have some culpability.

Of course if the goal is to have good, hard working citizens, someone who has been just that for many years should probably be considered to have passed the probation period.

Entering this country without papers is of course a violation of US law and the main punishment is to be expelled.  That is something worth discussing but not the same as the dreamers who were young children when they came here.