AP Discovers Trump's Power Grab, Forgetting Past Precedents
AP tells us the 'modern phenomena' of government shutdowns began in 1980, citing Attorney General Civiletti's legal opinions. This neatly sidesteps the actual history of funding lapses and executive arm-twisting that predate the Carter administration, often used by both parties to force legislative will. To suggest Trump’s current tactics are a unique 'power grab' ignores decades of similar
political brinkmanship, where withholding funds has always been a bludgeon for policy demands. Instead of a sudden deviation, this is simply the latest iteration of a well-worn D.C. strategy. One might wonder if the outrage is about the tactic itself, or simply about who's wielding it now. The 'discovery' of shutdowns as a tool for leverage is more a revelation of the media's short-term memory
than a genuine political innovation.