By Matt Underwood Deal to end longest government shutdown in history clears Congress, and honestly, the whole situation feels like a bad joke with a really grim punchline. After a mind-numbing 40 days, we’ve finally reached what’s being called an agreement, but the overall feeling is one of profound disappointment and, frankly, betrayal. What did we get out of it? Empty promises, as it seems, and a whole lot of questions.
This “deal” feels like a political Seinfeld episode – a whole lot of nothing happening, or at least nothing good. The core issue of what this shutdown was even about remains murky, leaving many people completely in the dark, wondering what the actual plot was supposed to be. Did anyone actually *win* here?
A critical piece of the outcome seems to be a brazen display of corruption. Some senators, it turns out, are getting direct payments, courtesy of the taxpayers. Yes, you read that right. These politicians are lining their pockets while seemingly ignoring the needs of the very people they’re supposed to represent. How does a system allow for this level of open greed?
Specifically, there are eight senators who are poised to collect substantial sums – potentially over a million dollars each – thanks to a provision tucked into the agreement. They will get paid for allowing the inspection of their records. It’s a blatant cash grab, and it’s frankly insulting. The names of the senators involved have been released, and the public is left to wonder how anyone could defend such actions.
Adding insult to injury, this deal also appears to have done some real damage to the hemp industry. In a last-minute maneuver, a provision was included that essentially makes certain hemp-derived products illegal again. This impacts people in a real way, and once again, it feels like the focus is on a select few, not the many.
This feels like the Democrats caved, and they did it to a degree that has been frustrating to many on the left. It’s tough to understand how they can claim to care about the people while allowing things like this to happen. It feels like a total set up for more corruption. Are we not even allowed to investigate senators now? What kind of system are we becoming?
It’s tempting to look at this and get completely discouraged. It’s hard not to feel like the entire system is designed to benefit a select few, while the rest of us are left to pick up the pieces. What more rights were taken away in this agreement?
I can’t help but wonder, what will it actually take for Americans to rise up and do something? The whole thing is so disheartening.
And, of course, there’s the ongoing question of whether this is all just theater. Is this just another step toward the same outcome, where we’ll be back at square one in a few months? There’s a definite sense that history is just going to repeat itself.
It’s a frustrating, depressing picture. The rich will be just fine, but what about everyone else? I am starting to believe there is no way out of this madness. There are people who just don’t care, and then there are those who want the current government we have. The States will never be a good place for people.
It feels like this is just a setup for more corruption.