Political Games: When Power Plays Hurt People

Politics in the United States has reached a new low. The longest federal government shutdown in history happened. It was supposed to be about health care. But it was really about politics. Democrats wanted to score points against President Trump. They didn't care about finding a solution. They just wanted to win. Trump didn't help. He didn't try to negotiate. Instead, he pushed Republicans to change the rules. He wanted to end the shutdown by force. Not by compromise. Millions of people suffered. Families lost food assistance. Schools for young kids closed. Workers didn't get paid. All because politicians couldn't agree. Now, things are getting worse. States are fighting over how to draw political maps. Texas and California are leading the way. But not in a good way. Texas made changes to help Trump. But it backfired. California responded by making their own maps. They say it's temporary. But will it be? Time will tell. Other states are watching. Virginia Democrats want to change their rules too. They want to make it easier to gerrymander. That's when politicians draw maps to help their party win. But there's hope. Some politicians are standing up. Seven Democratic senators voted to end the shutdown. They knew it was wrong. They didn't care about the next election. They cared about doing what's right. In Texas, some Republicans are resisting too. They don't want to close primaries. In Kansas, some Republicans refused to redraw maps. They were punished for it. But they stood by their principles. One Kansas lawmaker said it best. He'd rather look at himself in the mirror than win an election. That's a refreshing change.