Slam Poetry, eh?
I guess I didn't expect it would be that confusing.
Here is how I look at this. The first question is, do we think Trump wanted/wants this shutdown? I think the answer is an obvious "yes." Besides feeding into his infantile need to feel like he is in control, like any other madman who takes hostages he probably thinks it is a method that will lead to him getting what he wants.
Next question, is the shutdown a good thing? Again I think the answer is pretty obvious, "no." Because Trump wants it, almost by default the answer should be "no," but in general I don't think putting a bunch of federal employees at risk of financial ruin is that great of an idea. Granted I personally think the District and it's bedroom communities of northern Virginia are pretty much the cesspool of all human existence, but I'm not a sadist.
So, if Trump wants the shutdown, and the shutdown is certainly bad, why are we more than happy to sit here and let him have it, all the while gleefully proclaiming that he "owns" it?
I thought Chuck and Nancy are smart? Negotiate with the guy. He's an idiot. Offer him a jar of magic beans. Tell him that if you ever come across a picture of AOC nekkid you'll share it with him. Pretty much any shiny object is guaranteed to grab his attention.
Yeah, it would be nice if like other hostage situations we could just send in the Israeli's and have them solve the problem. But short of that, I don't see how shouting at the madman "you will do this, this and that" will solve the problem. That means you're left waiting to see when he tires of the game and decides to let the hostages go on his own, which he most certainly will do. But that kind of sucks for the hostages, so don't you think we at least owe it to them to try?