Even before the latest federal government shutdown began, pundits were speculating over which party was the more responsible for the impasse and which would be the political beneficiary.

Initial polls indicate that voters primarily blame President Donald Trump and the Republicans. And the ways that Trump and the GOP are using the shutdown to pursue their ideological goals may well ensure they also suffer long-term political damage.

They include Trump’s encouragement of Budget Director Russell Vought’s continuing campaign to slash politically popular environmental and infrastructure programs from what the president labeled “Democrat agencies” and continuing congressional GOP resistance to extending the tax credits helping millions of Americans pay their health insurance costs.

To be fair

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