Shutdown part two, also the presidents health.

The president had a doctors appointment last week, which according to him and the doctor went very well and he is perfectly healthy, if slightly overweight at 239 pounds. I don't believe a word of it myself, oh I am sure he isn't gonna die of a heart attack tomorrow or anything, but ain't no way a guy in his seventies who eats the amount of fast food he does and spends all the time angry is healthy, also ain't no way he is only 239 pounds, he looks as out of shape as I do and folks... I don't weigh anything close to 239 pounds.

Mentally he is also great apparently, again, can't say I really agree with that, but I think a short exam by a physical doctor really isn't the best way to determine that, also putting his actions in the lens of diagnosable mental illness honestly doesn't seem productive to me, he's crazy sure, but there are no overwhelming compulsions or voices, or whatever forcing him to do what he does, he does it because it works for him and always has, because he is rich.

The shutdown is approaching it's first business day, we have a vote scheduled at noon for a temporary spending bill to keep the government open until February 8, the Republicans claim they will put the DACA and CHIP programs on the table to talk about if an temporary agreement is reached, but I don't believe them, I think that if the Dems cave here it will just make them more inclined to cave again later. I am leery about predicting political stuff since the election made me look like an asshole, but I think that if what is on the table tomorrow fails, we stay shut down for a week or so at least. Which sucks for a few million government employees, as well as the national parks, but I also think it kind of has to happen.

People don't pay attention to the government, now much of that is intentional and a plan by our overlords to minimize participation, a smaller voting bloc is easier to control after all, but for many people the federal government is just too big to think about, national budgets, the UN, international diplomacy, even military operations are just so far removed from most people's lives that it is hard for them to draw a connection between what happens in DC and what happens wherever they live. But all Americans get impacted by a shutdown and it is the most pressing evidence that who we vote for matters, what they do matters, it impacts our lives every day and we should be thankful that for the most part we don't see it.

I will make a fool of myself again, I think we see an unexpectedly large turnout come November for the midterms, and I think the polling will say the shutdown was a major reason for it.