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People now saying that this government shutdown looks more like the 1995-1996 events than more recent episodes, which is true -- but also important differences. Newt Gingrich was trying to accomplish something serious -- evil, but serious 1/ nytimes.com/2018/12/28/us/…
In 95-6, the GOP goal was to disembowel Medicare -- to cut funding, and force it into privatization. That was ugly, but at least it made sense given the party's values. But Trump's wall is a pointless gesture addressing an imaginary problem. 2/
You might think this would make the current confrontation easier to solve. But it probably makes it harder, because Trump's goal is all about messaging -- feeding fear of The Other, and boosting his prestige. This makes it zero sum: Dems have no reason to give in 3/
Meanwhile Trump has trapped himself: what he needs to satisfy Ann Coulter and what he needs to stop bleeding support are diametrically opposed. This might not end until his own party turns on him, one way or another 4/
