David A. Bateman

Assistant Professor

David Bateman, an expert on Congress and the legislative process and assistant professor of government at Cornell University, explains how the possibility of a Trump-era government shutdown harkens back to the days of Jimmy Carter’s presidency – the last time a significant funding gap appeared under one party’s control.

Bateman says:

“That we’re even talking about a possible government shutdown despite unified party control is a bit surreal.

“It would be an astounding own-goal, casting further doubts on the feasibility of the GOP’s legislative agenda and inspiring yet more comparisons between the Trump-era Republican party and the Jimmy Carter-era Democrats, the last time there was a significant funding gap under unified government.

“And yet here we are, about a week before the funding runs out, with no bill reported from committee, and with a highly polarizing president seemingly insistent that his priorities, non-starters with Democrats, be accommodated.”