The game of chicken between congressional Republicans and Democrats has resulted in a partial government shutdown, with none of the 12 regular-order appropriations bills enacted into law. The last federal government shutdown lasted 35 days in late 2018, during President Trump’s first term, when his battle with Congress over his southern border wall could not be resolved.

What both sides proposed this time around were continuing resolutions, the de facto way the federal government now gets funded. Since 1998, there have been 134 interim and four full-year continuing resolutions, ranging in time from 21 days to 216 days. This averages out to around five continuing resolutions per year during this period.

Who is to blame for this shutdown? Although both sides of the aisle are culpable, a few people stand out.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) genuflecting to the president with his “One Big Beautiful Bill” is a deficit growing nightmare. And although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) deserves some credit for not preventing a

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