SHUTDOWN CONTINUES – FROM REUTERS:  Democrats stuck to demands that any short-term spending legislation must include protections for young undocumented immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Republicans in turn said they would not negotiate on immigration until Democrats gave them the votes needed to reopen the government.  U.S. government workers were told to stay home or, in some cases, work without pay until new funding is approved in the first federal government shutdown since a 16-day funding lapse in October 2013.  The Republican-controlled Senate and House of Representatives held rare weekend sessions on Saturday, facing a political crisis that could affect November congressional elections. By about 7 p.m. both chambers resigned themselves to failure and agreed to resume work on Sunday.  Both Republicans and Democrats had dug in during the day, each side blaming the other.  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the Senate would vote at 0100 EST (0600 GMT) Monday on a bill to fund the government through Feb. 8, unless Democrats agree to hold it sooner.   One of the great dangers for Trump is that the shutdown can break the psychology of support he was receiving in the weeks before the shutdown began.  That in turn can have economic effects as people pull back from optimism.  Do the Democrats care?  I doubt it.

MORE MADNESS – FROM COLLEGE FIX:  A school district in Wisconsin is mulling over whether to remove the classic Harper Lee novel “To Kill a Mockingbird” from its high school curriculum after a parental complaint.  Parent Tujama Kameeta  wants the Monona Grove School District in Monona, Wisconsin town to remove the novel due to the “48 racial slurs directed at African Americans in the book.”  “The n-word is used so many times that it numbs the readers to its potency,” Kameeta told Madison365. “Reading the book just perpetuates racist thoughts and attitudes in a school district that actively discriminates against children of color.”  Kameeta added that students learning the epithets will enable them “to use [the words] for power over people of color.”  "To Kill a Mockingbird" is widely considered one of the great anti-discrimination novels.  I have no idea what this chap is talking about.

IMPORTANT MOVE TOWARD JUSTICE – FROM THE LOUISVILLE COURIER-JOURNAL:  Rene Boucher, the 58-year-old Bowling Green man accused of attacking U.S. Sen. Rand Paul at his home in November, has been charged with assaulting a member of congress resulting in personal injury.  The charges – a federal felony – were announced Friday by Josh J. Minkler, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana.  “Assaulting a member of Congress is an offense we take very seriously,” Minkler said. “Those who choose to commit such an act will be held accountable.”  Boucher has signed a plea agreement, according to Minkler's statement. No date has been set for the taking of his guilty plea.   Please note that there was a shooting attack against GOP congressmen last June, in which Rep. Steve Scalise was critically wounded.  We are not a banana republic.  Attacks like this must be vigorously prosecuted. 

January 20, 2018