Motus Mentis

Well, another government shutdown looms. The Democrats are refusing to sign on to a budget resolution, because it doesn’t include a “clean” DREAM act.

Over at Hot Air, “Allahpundit” explains:

Let’s run through this again, because job one for Schumer and Pelosi over the next 24 hours will be to muddy waters that are actually quite clear.

First offer from Republicans: Let’s fund the government and pass a DREAM amnesty, as both sides want to do, and in return you give us some concessions on chain migration and the wall. Republicans have no choice but to use DREAM as leverage for those concessions despite their support for the policy because Democrats are incredibly reluctant to tighten admission policies under the best of circumstances. So how about a little something in return for DREAM, in the name of compromise? Nope, says Schumer. Won’t do it. We’ll give you a few billion in mad money for border improvements but we’re not doing anything that might move the U.S. towards skills-based criteria for immigrants and away from “bring the whole family!’ policies.

Second offer from Republicans: Okay, since we’re stuck on a DREAM deal, let’s table the whole immigration issue for now and instead agree to fund the government and extend CHIP long-term, as both sides want to do. We’ll come back to DREAM afterwards when we’re not facing a hard deadline. Nope, says Schumer. Won’t do it. The amnesty fanatics in my base refuse to let us sign on to any funding deal that doesn’t include DREAM. Even though not only is DACA still in effect, the feds are letting enrollees renew their enrollments.

Third offer from Republicans: Okay, since Democrats are hung up on amnesty and worried about voting for a bill that doesn’t include it, let’s temporarily change the rules so that they don’t have to vote for the bill at all. Last night McConnell asked for unanimous consent from the Senate to let Republicans pass a funding bill with 50 votes instead of the 60 that the filibuster requires. It’s not at all certain that he has even 50 votes right now, but he was willing to take full responsibility for the bill’s passage via his caucus alone. If he found the votes he needed, the government would stay open without any Democratic assent to the DREAM-less bill. Nope, said Schumer. Won’t do it. He objected to the motion for unanimous consent. McConnell still needs 60, all but ensuring a shutdown.

Needless to say, the media and the Democrats (but I repeat myself) are presenting this as a Republican shutdown. With tiresome predictability, conscientious voices on the Right are pointing out that the situation is precisely the same as what happened in 2013, with the parties reversed, yet Republicans were blamed for that too.

I say “tiresome predictability” because pointing out double standards like this is not only useless, but deeply misguided. The assumption seems to be that if the Left is shown to be behaving inconsistently, then they will be shamed into standing down. This is wrong on two counts:

First, we are way beyond “shame” here. This is war. The Democrats know this, and have known it for a long, long time.

Second, conservatives and Republicans are looking for consistency in the wrong place. There is in fact a consistent principle, one that is never violated, and it is a simple one:

Attack the enemy always, with whatever weapon comes to hand, and never, never yield an inch.

Once you understand this, everything makes clear and simple sense.