As Shutdown Looms, Gaetz Urges Kevin to Take Action

Throughout the week, it became increasingly evident that avoiding a federal government shutdown would be a formidable challenge. As Saturday approaches, all indications point to the brink of a shutdown, with potential furloughs and disruptions if an agreement is not reached by midnight tonight. Reuters explains that Republican Speaker of the House, Kevin McCarthy, will attempt a “Hail Mary pass” on Saturday by rallying his fellow Republicans to support a short-term funding bill that includes disaster relief. However, this undertaking is expected to be incredibly difficult. Let’s delve into recent developments and what lies ahead:

• GOP tensions: Emotions ran high on Friday when McCarthy’s resolution to fund the government through the end of October was defeated by not only Democrats but also 21 Republicans. This left other GOP members frustrated. “The problem is … the holdouts aren’t offering any other options,” stated Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw to reporters after the vote, as reported by Fox News. “It’s a f—ing democracy, it’s hard. And there’s no acknowledgment of that.”
• Gaetz on the attack: Leading the charge against McCarthy’s plans is Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who Politico describes as having a “takedown mission” aimed at the House speaker. “He wants Kevin,” a Gaetz associate tells the outlet. “That’s it, and everything else revolves around that.”
• McCarthy’s perspective: On Friday, the House speaker appeared to be running out of options. When asked by a reporter about the logical next step after the vote, McCarthy replied, “Keep working and make sure we solve this problem,” as relayed by Mediaite. When another journalist inquired, “What’s in your back pocket, speaker?”, McCarthy responded, “Nothing right now. I’m broke.”