All levers of the government, as I understand it, are controlled by the President's party. This would seem to suggest that the normal mechanism of passing laws and budgets would be straightforward, eliminating the need to rule by decree. As this does not seem to be happening, it suggests the US government is inoperative with all control ceded legally or otherwise to the executive.

Hence my decree comment.

I'm not sure of your understanding of America's government.

Conservatives control all three branches of government to an extent. The Senate GOP doesn't have 60 members, so the Dems can block legislation (the GOP hasn't invoked the "nuclear option" that would prevent that). That's why there's a government shutdown, 100% of that is on the Dems.

The Supreme Court exists only to interpret law in terms of constitutionality. Even with a conservative majority, it shouldn't, and almost certainly won't, violate the Constitution.

As I said above, events leading up to the midterms, and the midterms themselves, will determine the way forward...quite democratically. :-)

> That's why there's a government shutdown, 100% of that is on the Dems.

Back in my day, the filibuster existed to encourage compromise. The idea that this is "100%" on the Dems is absolutely ridiculous.

There's not much I agree with Trump on, but I do agree with what he said back in 2013: "A shutdown means the president is weak."

Mr. "Art of the Deal" really makes the best deals.

> 100% of that is on the Dems

How do you figure? Or is the presumption that the GOP compromising by not (further) gutting healthcare subsidies just accepted as wishful thinking at this point?

> almost certainly won't, violate the Constitution

They arguably already have [0]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trump_v._United_States

If you think we're having elections in 2026 you're wildly out of tough with reality.

I'd gladly wager some real money were such a thing feasible. We'll see who's "wildly out of tough [sic] with reality"!