While DACA is tossed about as the main reason that we’re on the brink of a government shut down, it’s way more complex.  Lots of Democrats and some Republicans are tired of the mismanagement of doing budget band aids instead of actually negotiating a long term budget.  When Bernie Sanders can get on TV and plead for the Pentagon to have a long term budget they can plan effectively with it makes the faux warrior Republicans look pretty bad.  Also, the Democratic base is tired of letting Trump/McConnell/Ryan skate on their cynical DACA and Chip promises.  So they’re willing, finally, to call the Republicans bluff and withhold votes on another temporary fix without addressing DACA and Chip and other human interests (that Republicans, supposedly human, should want, but oddly don’t).

Given that most Republicans agree with the 87% of Americans that DACA should be fixed and that Chip should be funded (the government will actually save money if they do) this shouldn’t be that hard.  Democrats are even willing to give some on border security.

That said, we are still dealing and the Republican split personality on immigration.   And sadly Republicans are devolving on even that issue.  As Ezra Klein notes in his 12 Thoughts on the Shut Down.

9. I don’t pretend to know how a shutdown will play out. But I’ll admit I’m unnerved to see not just Trump, but McConnell and others, begin to refer to the core issue as “illegal immigration” — the more they define DREAMers as illegal immigrants and a DACA deal as amnesty, the harder it will be for them to back down and eventually cut that deal.

The GOP troglodyte caucus that will not accept any deal on immigration except to deport them all, even Dreamers who have known no other country than the U.S. are strengthened by Trump’s irrational sucking up to them.  He has literally taken every possible position on immigration and we’re all suffering from his “whatever the last one to speak to him says” decision making.  He’s made the troglodytes his base and no matter how much rational people appeal to him, Steve Miller and the other Fox News hardliners get to him last and put the fear of his 32% base, literally the only people who do still love him, withdrawing their love like his mommy and daddy must have for him to be such a needy child.

The troglodytes and every Republican in fear of their venomous influence will make DACA another no-brainer that just can’t get done.  Similar to the NRA and their influence that keeps a 90% pro-background checks public from getting universal background checks.

As Linda Ellerbee would say:  “And so it goes.”