Steve Hilton: Much of the federal government should be shut down -- and power given back to the people

The conventional wisdom about the government shutdown chaos in Washington is completely wrong. Whoever you listen to, their explanation for the shambles is political.

If you’re on the left you blame President Trump – just as you blame him for everything from bad weather to burned toast. If you’re on the right you call it the “Schumer Shutdown” – after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. – and point out that today’s Democrats are being driven by their extreme “open borders” base.

For what it’s worth, I agree that the Democrats are in thrall to their party’s extremes, in particular on the issue of immigration. And it surely makes sense to handle the DACA issue as part of a negotiated immigration deal, including the border wall and an end to the diversity visa lottery and chain migration.

Using the “Dreamers,” as DACA recipients are known, to hold up agreement on the entire federal budget is a ridiculous and damaging stunt.

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