Bear with me... What if Trump actually WANTS to shut down The Government!! I DO TOO!!! March Madness!! So, the House passed the CR and left town. Now....to avoid a shutdown you need to get 60 votes for the CR in the SENATE to break the filibuster. The Senate is pretty much the ONLY place the Dems have any 'leverage' these days...
It sure appears that Trump is creating the optics that he WANTS to PASS the CR, and slams Massie because he didn't vote for it. All kinds of Libertarian goofballs on FB have their panties in a wad, as well as Glen Beck and other TV Talking Heads on the Right, because Massie is "standing on principle", which at this point doesn't really matter...because Trump KNEW it would pass the House.
IMHO, Trump is playing 4D Chess, making the Dems think that it would be a beautiful thing to F Trump by DEFEATING the CR in the Senate and shutting down the government!! I'm thinking they'll need more drool buckets in the Senate chamber in the next day or 2...
If/when the Senate doesn't pass the CR and thereby shuts down the government, all kinds of things instantly become MUCH easier....nobody 'home' to interfere with DOGE's work and evidence gathering; easier to arrest the congressional crooks; would be a great 'excuse' for the EBS; and the financial markets would likely close which would make it much easier to shut down and eliminate the FED.
Thoughts?
I figured it was theater but didn't know what the purpose was. Your idea makes total sense. 💯
"Moves and Counter moves"
Diversion is definitely in the Trump playbook………
This is how the media works:
R's won't help D's pass their giant budget: R's fault for not being bipartisan.
D's won't help R's pass their continuing resolution: R's fault for not being bipartisan.
Would the public be smart enough to remember the logic used last time? I'm not so sure. People have very short attention spans and their memories are not long.
Much of the government is essential. Their operations won't change at all. Shutdowns are mostly fear theater. But I suppose for the small amount of non-essential services, it might be easier to access things and get stuff done.
If the senate also goes into recess, Trump can make Recess Appointments. That might be interesting.
Which is exactly what Massie said, that Trump would get to make recess appointments.
Recess appointments but also maybe...... just maybe.... arrests! I don't think members of Congress can be arrested while on duty on the floor but if they are all in their individual hones on recess. I can still dream
Not only that but the govt really impedes things in general.
Yes, this really looks like Trumps plan, but he has a lot more flexibility if it doesn't look like it is!
I’m going to dream your dream with you :)
I like your thinking. 4D chess sounds about. If you are correct, then Massie had better have some no leak underwear for all the crap he's gonna experience from his pissed off constituents. I'd love for a government shut down. Then watch the magic happen as President Trump really hammers out EOs.
My guess is that Massie knows.....😉
Excellent theory blown away...Art of War..
Of course it is. If Trump rejects the bill and accepts the impending shutdown, the media vilifies him.
Massie as a "no" lets him point out why and at the same time changes nothing as it heads to the senate regardless of his vote.
Now the dems dig in and when it fails, the government is shutdown because of them.
Simple Game Theory at play.
Messi being a no also offers the Democrats a sort of better version of Trump, or they can point to him and say, look at him, he's making a principle to stand, we are only doing what one of your top counter narrative Republicans want to do
Lets not forget either that the lone democrat who voted with us last name is GOLDEN.
You cant make this shit up.
Great catch, Fren...
That’s my take, he’s going way over the top with this reaction. It’s also bringing a lot of shills, or as Trump coined it GRANDSTANDERS, to the surface.
Exactly. WAAAAY over the top. HAS to be a reason. With Trump, EVERYTHING is strategic.
Thanks for voicing what I've been considering for a while now.
I think it is theatre, agreed. Permalinked comment from my meme post earlier today
Thanks, fren! Love the meme...😁
Just leave it shutdown permanently
I agree. I didn’t think of it this way but just in general as in ‘what could be bad about government shutdown’? DOGE, Musk, Kash, Bondi, Tulsi et al would have free rein on the place with DOGE people who are likely not paid by the government anyway.
Trump does this, all day long.
Remember when Trump said he'd give DACA dreamers a path to citizenship if congress would fund building the wall?
He never intended to give DACA the path to citizenship, he only set up congress to look bad -- knowing they would never fund the wall.
Smooth brained conservatives pointed at Trump and declared he was betraying his campaign promises, even though he gave the dems a black eye and it cost literally nothing.
If they are ready to start real arrests then yes, Trump would want a shut down.
Massie has never passed a bill; his no vote could have been counted 8 years ago.
And the dems probably think that if they shut down the government, they cant be round up and prosecuted/executed. :)
It is my understanding that the congressional crooks can't be arrested while the house/senate is in session.... 😎
They can't be arrested on their way to or from a vote, and while on the floor. Even that isn't iron-clad.
I looked this up last year on a search engine, but Grok has a better, more concise answer:
Members of Congress cannot be arrested in certain circumstances due to the Speech or Debate Clause of the U.S. Constitution, found in Article I, Section 6, Clause 1. This clause states that Senators and Representatives "shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same." This protection applies specifically to civil arrests (e.g., for debts or minor civil offenses) and is limited to the time when Congress is in session and during their travel to and from congressional duties.
However, this privilege does not extend to criminal arrests for serious offenses like treason, felonies, or breaches of the peace—which historically have been interpreted to cover most criminal acts, including misdemeanors in modern practice. The Supreme Court has clarified that "breach of the peace" excludes only civil matters, not criminal ones (e.g., Williamson v. United States, 1908). So, for example, a member of Congress could still be arrested for a felony like assault or a crime like DUI, even during a session, but not for something like a civil lawsuit over unpaid debts while en route to a vote.
The clause’s primary purpose is to protect legislators from interference by the executive branch or private parties that could disrupt their legislative duties, not to grant blanket immunity. It’s a narrow shield, rooted in English parliamentary tradition, and doesn’t stop law enforcement from pursuing serious criminal charges at any time. Data on its invocation is sparse, as it’s rarely tested—most modern cases involve criminal acts where the privilege doesn’t apply anyway.
Excellent info, fren.... Thanks
My pleasure. This comes up a lot on here and everyone has heard something different about speech and debate. It's always better when we have the facts.
It's really a no lose situation for PDJT. If the dems keep it from passing, Trump uses it to blame the dems for the government shutdown just like the dems have hammered GOP for previous shutdowns AND DOGE gets unfettered reign to do their work as theorized by OP. If the dems allow it to pass, Trump claims victory because he has publicly stated his support for the CR.
Brilliant thought, Fren. Blessings....
You're spot on
Nitpick:
I hate when people still call it the EBS, the Emergency Broadcast System.
It hasn't been the Emergency Broadcast System in over 20 years.
It was replaced by the Emergency Alert System.
Minor, I know. Just had to say it. Carry on.
Thank you for this context!
I stand corrected. Thanks, Fren...
so, if the government gets shut down, will govt workers still be required to submit the 5 point emails to doge during this period? and if they do not, will they be fired? enquiring minds like pie...
pi day IS Friday.... Coincidence???
I don’t think the financial markets would close just because of a temporary government shutdown. Otherwise, this is along the lines of what I thought possible.
Maybe Trump could 'direct' the SEC to 'temporarily close' the markets???
Love it
I figured there was more to it as well. Especially because of Trump's over the top reaction and theatrics. I hope you're right.
Yeap yeap, seems likely to me.
Don't forget -- Recess Appointments!!
We better fucking get March Madness this year. Ffs.
Couldn't agree more, fren. I want to see JUSTICE!!
Great analysis. This is absolutely 100% what's happening.
I thought the exact same thing. Arrests while on recess.
This is very good. It does create an optic that he has tried his best.
If this happens he will be the one trying to fix the issue caused the the dems.
They also wouldn’t be able to destroy more evidence.
Let’s see …
I think it's a valid perspective to view things from. Game theory. I like the way you think.
Could be, nothing is said or done without purpose by trump.
I was confused on Massie acting out. I know he’s a Patriot. Thank you for laying out your argument. I totally agree.
Way too logical for a dumb libtard to grasp! Thanks, and I have agreed with you for weeks.
I hope you're right because I like Massie.
I just had the exact same thought fren and you beat me to the post. POTUS knows he has to play into their political theater. Massie just “exposed” Speaker Johnson for playing the uniparty game. But even this could have been chess move ♟️ - perhaps Johnson knew it wouldn’t pass the senate but sent everyone home with “faith” it would pass so that a shutdown becomes inevitable. Trump was given a very short notice to get this bill done and I highly doubt he wants to pass it - but for optics he has no choice. By playing their game he is now able to shut down the government AND blame the Dems for it. Win win. 🏆 And if that’s not enough this whole ordeal just exposed the fact that everyone but Massie is paid for by Israel. 🇮🇱
This makes perfect sense. Time will tell & I am hoping you are right. Recess appointments, here we come!
If they wanted to, the Senate could gavel in a "pro forma session" every few days and basically discuss anything they want. That would keep POTUS from making recess appointments as long as the recess doesn't last 10 consecutive days (or so). That is generally accepted as the magic number required for appointments.
They used it against Trump in 2017 and 2020.
Won't be for everybody. Military will need to pick up the slack during a shut down. NG would pop up to help with services in the cities, which everyone expects. It would bring some doom. Could explain a little about that 5000$ 'refund' they've been floating. Folks are going to need the cash?
Boy, that's good.
IMPOUNDMENT, get to know what that means as it relates to PDJT and budgets, you're going to be hearing it a lot in the future.