Sen. Markwayne Mullin Discusses Potential Government Shutdown

Senator Markwayne Mullin from Oklahoma has expressed concerns about a “real possibility” of another government shutdown involving the Democrats by January. This came up during a Thanksgiving weekend special on Breitbart News Saturday.

During the show, host Matthew Boyle asked Mullin what Americans might expect in the upcoming months. He inquired, “Are we going to face another shutdown at the end of January? Are Democrats likely to act more erratically as we approach the midterm elections?”

Mullin suggested that things could worsen as Democrats grow anxious about their primary races, noting, “Most elections are really determined in the primaries, not in the general elections.” He indicated that the Democrats’ worries about their support base could lead to even more extreme actions.

He mentioned that there is a “real possibility” of a shutdown beginning on January 30th, which would occur months after the Democrats oversaw the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

“It’s worth noting that only eight Democrats voted to reopen the government, and all of them are either retiring or unlikely to be re-elected,” he added. Mullin highlighted this as a significant pressure point for the Democrats, although he felt it should have been more impactful.

Turning to other issues, he explained that delays in flights weren’t due to the FAA or air traffic controllers but rather because many staff members had to take personal leave to support their families. “The biggest pressure was on staff to pay their salaries,” he said. He noted that the SNAP program had been underfunded, but that had now been addressed.

“So if we do end up in a shutdown, staff will still be paid, the Capitol Police will be paid… that reduces the incentive for progress. Military funding is also crucial, and while I agree on that front, the defense funding isn’t currently aligned,” he cautioned.