Did the Tea Party really shut down the government? With the last federal shutdown behind us and the possibility of another one looming in the months to come, there is a lot of misunderstanding and blame-shifting going on. I hope to clear up the smoke and mirrors both parties, and the media throw up. Please understand there is a big difference between political theory and political reality (most of the time). I’m going to save us all time and myself some embarrassment by leaving out, for the most part, political reality. I’m not going to get into political reality because it is rarely taught in college or high school, and most people who are involved with politics or follow it closely are truly clueless about how things work. Let’s not pretend we are an informed public; instead, let’s ensure we all are on the same page with how things are supposed to work. In theory, how our government was designed to function “of the people, by the people, and for the people” is much b...

Here is a recap of the president’s speech for those who missed it. The government is open thanks to Democrats and Republicans that realized we were right. None of this was necessary; Republicans should have simply given me my way from the beginning, and their refusal to submit to my will led to the closure. (What was not said: While it is true that the Democrats could have gone along with Republicans and the government would never have shut down.) As long as the American people continue to dig their graves, the government will haphazardly support the walls. The government will bring food and keep the rain out of your holes. But if you ever stop digging to question the wisdom of those who profit from your labor, if you ever try and climb your way out, the walls will fall in on you, and darkness will swallow you. Together we have a bright future; as long as you keep digging, we will keep printing. The premise of the president’s speech is derived from logical fallacies. The claim tha...