Consider this, perhaps Trump and the Republicans want a government shut down [View all]

Republicans have wanted to cut government to the bare bones for a long time. They believe government spending should be reduced to just a few items, military spending and law enforcement being the main ones. A government shutdown would do just that. It also has the advantage of shutting down Congressional investigations into Epstein and Trump, not to mention elimination of the entire legislative branch altogether, at least for awhile.

Yes, yes, people would complain, no Medicaid, no national parks, etc., but does Trump really care? He isn't running for reelection again, and frankly the chances of the midterms being anything meaningful, other than as a dog and pony show, are disappearing quickly. With a government shutdown Trump gets to fire even more people and rule by EO. If he does need to spend money, he can always declare a national emergency to get the appropriations, and SCOTUS will back him up.

A government shutdown would consolidate even more power into his hands, and bonus, he gets to plausibly(at least to his followers) blames Democrats for the ensuing chaos.

Don't get me wrong, I think that the Republican budget and CR are both abhorrent, and if this were normal times I'd say shut it down. But these aren't normal times, and in some ways this reminds me of the 1933 Enabling Act in Germany, when the Reichstag voted themselves out of existence, concentrating all the power into Hitler's hands. Congressional Dems are caught between a rock and a hard place, with no good choices. I don't know what the solution is, but there are currently only two options, both bad. Perhaps there is a third option, I don't know, but as it currently stands both roads look fraught with danger.