If you’re expecting a headline that the president and congress are meeting daily in an attempt to solve the budget crisis and re-open the government for the American people, sorry. You may be disappointed.
The headline that makes me optimistic is
from CNBC.
Why?
Are we on Day 40??? Somewhere around that.
And if healthcare and SNAP (food stamps) didn’t move the needle, why am I optimistic?
Ask yourself this. Who flies? Yup, birds, bats, bees, insects, but also the wealthy.
The wealthy don’t need healthcare benefits or help to feed their families. But they do like to travel. And whether it’s private planes or the first class cabin, reducing air traffic is going to hurt.
Money Talks
The White House is getting some upgrades. A 90,000 sq. ft. renovation that will cost $300 million, But the good news is that it is not coming out of our tax dollars. It is privately funded.
Who are the big donors? It looks like a who’s who of the S&P 500. Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Google…Read here from Fortune.
And what do they get in return? Most likely their calls will be answered when they dial the White House.
Same thing happened with the inauguration. The donor lists looks quite similar.
Read here on CNBC.
And 2025 was a biggee.
Wrap Up
I think the air travel issue will be the one that breaks the log jam. All those folks that paid for the inauguration and for the ballroom will have something to say. And thanks to their donations, someone will listen.
I hope I’m wrong.
But as the Eagles say in Victim of Love: I may be wrong but I’m not.
ps
I wanted to link this back to my prior comments on the shut down. While the budget and the shut down fall squarely in the lap of congress, the White House plays a roll in setting the agenda. I also suspect that some representatives in the house and senate received phone calls as well.
And my intention is not to blame either party. They are both equally at fault. Closing the American government for 40+ days is a monumental failure and every politician in Washington shares the blame.