Brent Nelsen weighs in on government shutdown

As the U.S. government shutdown now stretches into its second week, Furman University’s Brent Nelsen spoke with FOX Carolina News’ Justin Dougherty on Oct. 3, just after the closure. Nelsen, the Jane Fishburne Hipp Professor of Politics and International Affairs, commented on how useful federal closures are as a negotiating tactic. He said the democrats were willing to display a show of force by allowing government operations to cease instead of conceding to terms they see as unfavorable to their constituents. Republicans, on the other hand, can use the closure to pare down the size of government. At the end of the day, he said, movement will happen on one side or the other, and an agreement on a short-term spending bill will be reached. Just when that will be is anybody’s guess, he added.

In more recent coverage on FOX Carolina News, Nelsen addressed President Trump’s plan to retain paychecks for federal law enforcement agents and military personnel. As for when there will be an end to the sparring over the budget, Nelsen said this shutdown period may be record-breaking and suggested it’s difficult to come to the negotiating table when there’s no sign of its existence. On a positive note, Nelsen said, “All these things get negotiated in the end.”