A House Divided or Just Confused?

Nevada’s Senators Can’t Agree on Disagreeing

In a display of unity so fractured it could make the Grand Canyon blush, Nevada’s two Democratic senators found themselves at odds today over whether to keep the government’s doors open or let it slam shut like an old saloon in a dust storm.

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, perhaps remembering that people like getting paid, announced she would vote “yes” on the latest stopgap spending measure. Meanwhile, Sen. Jacky Rosen, evidently more impressed by the grand tradition of political brinkmanship, declared she’d be voting “no.”

And so, with all the coordination of a one-horse town’s marching band, Nevada’s representation in Washington did what Congress does best—disagree.

The matter is another “continuing resolution,” which is political lingo for “kicking the can down the road like a government-sponsored game of street soccer.” The bill would fund Uncle Sam’s ever-hungry operations through September, an improvement over past shutdown showdowns but still a far cry from responsible governance. The House managed to squeeze it through earlier in the week, and now the Senate must wrangle the votes, provided they can stop squabbling long enough to count them.

Cortez Masto warned of dire consequences if the government shut down, including unpaid military personnel, stalled court cases (all untrue,) and alarmingly—more power in the hands of Elon Musk, who seems to be Washington’s latest bipartisan boogeyman. Meanwhile, Rosen, not one to lose when it comes to rhetorical flair, accused Congressional Republicans of being more interested in tax cuts for the ultra-rich than in, say, keeping the government functioning like a halfway competent institution.

For those keeping score at home, this marks the third time this fiscal year that Congress has had to pass a short-term budget extension. That’s right—the very folks entrusted with running the nation can’t seem to plan further ahead than a man who just realized his rent is due tomorrow. And with each round of fiscal chicken, the stakes get higher, the rhetoric gets louder, and the solutions get more temporary.

While the bill’s fate remains uncertain, one thing is clear–Nevada’s senators, much like the rest of Congress, remain committed to the fine art of disagreement. Whether the government remains open, rest assured that the great American tradition of political bickering will continue uninterrupted.