Messy fights over funding the federal government have become all too familiar in American politics. Why are we like this? On the show today, The Brookings Institution’s Molly Reynolds joins Kimberly to explain how shutdowns became Congress’ political weapon of choice and why the federal budget process has gotten even more complicated under the Trump administration. Plus, we hear from you, our dear listeners.Here’s everything we talked about today:"Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time" from Pew Research Center"Government shutdown continues as Senate Democrats hold firm on health care demands" from AP News"How John Thune sees the shutdown ending" from Politico"What are Democrats' demands in the government shutdown fight?" from MarketplaceShow your love for Make Me Smart and our community of curious listeners! Donate now to get us one step closer to our Fall Fundraiser

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.