General Discussion

them all showing up for the cameras and in their respective chambers saying "The government is open" and then doing business and the actual nuts and bolts of putting the final "ink" on the matter. They can and have done the former for many things while claiming everything is settled and agreed and addressing "new" business despite the true nuts and bolts of the "old" business not being completely finalized from a parliamentary or strict administrative sense.

It's kind of the same with the phrase "the government is shut down". Not really accurate and many things continue on including work in the Senate and House by staff, investigators etc. The point is they pick and choose what rolls on and what doesn't and also in how they present the situation. Many government contractors continue on in their projects, the ships still sail etc.

So the Senate or House saying the government is open or closed is a matter of how they vocalize it and as we know the reality of whether a department of government is fully funded and functioning may be different from what the Honorable Senator Blowhard says to the camera and news reporters.

Rand Paul is perhaps even optimistic in saying 5 days for all the i's to be dotted. I don't know that Johnson will even bring the House back until he sees a complete and final Senate package and has time to get his instructions from Crumb the 1st.