Tim Burchett voted for the first time for a Continuing Resolution to keep the U.S. government open even though the CR added to the deficit – something Burchett and others had pledged never to do.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer likewise supported the CR and is being punished for it by many Democrats.

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Even his old friend Nancy Pelosi said, “Don’t give away anything for nothing,” and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries just said, “Next question,” when asked his opinion of Schumer’s vote.

There are at least two good reasons both Burchett and Schumer voted correctly:

• Donald Trump wanted to be thrown into the shutdown briar patch. Shut the government down now and it might never reopen – at least in recognizable form.
• The Congress is too evenly split and craziness is too widespread to pass a normal budget. Compromise involves people of good faith horse trading to reach a deal. Nobody wins everything; but nobody eats mud. The congressional dynamic from both sides right now is “eat mud and die.”

Congress kept the government open, what’s left of it, and that’s the best that could be done. And without courageous votes from Burchett and Schumer that might not have happened.