A deeply polarized political climate demands both sides play to their most ideological and rigid partisans. The remark offered a vivid illustration of how a standoff ostensibly focused on spending had morphed into a different kind of battle. Who gets the blame — or if voters will even care about the shutdown by the time Election Day rolls around — remains to be seen. Both of the earlier shutdowns came at a time of divided government, with Democrats controlling the White House, and Republicans running Congress. “This is a decision by the Democrats that their future absolutely requires them to polarize the Latino vote,” he added.

Source: Washington Post January 20, 2018 22:48 UTC