"Beware the Ides of March."
Those words were true for Julius Caesar more than 2,000 years ago, and while the outcome today is less dire, they are particularly relevant for President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans today.
The Ides of March falls on March 15, and barring a congressional deal, it's also the day a partial government shutdown could begin. Yet, Republicans are seemingly doing everything they can to ensure that happens.
In December, Congress narrowly averted a shutdown by passing a stopgap funding measure that kept the government open until March 14. That deal was achieved with overwhelming bipartisan support, but there's little reason to believe the same thing will happen again next month.
For starters, the potential of a government shutdown is the only leverage Democrats have to stop Trump and Elon Musk's assault on the federal government. While Democrats might have been inclined to work with Republicans a few weeks ago, things have changed.
This is a preview of Michael A. Cohen's latest article. Read the full column here.
