A shutdown looms like a dark cloud over Washington DC.

With time running out for agreement senators return to Washington on Monday and plan on holding a full party meeting on Tuesday. That leaves 10 days for the House and the Senate to hammer out a deal. That would require a political miracle after years of total opposition on border security.

The rumor is the Senate's bipartisan border negotiators are optimistic about a potential agreement. Arizona Independent Kyrsten Sinema recently revealed she met with House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday. If that's supposed to encourage people, it fell flat with me.

Just look at the history.

If Republicans really wanted to solve the border crisis, why did they vote down a $100 billion-plus emergency national security spending package request last month?

The biggest sticking point remains striking a compromise (the word is not in the MAGA dictionary) over changes to the president's parole authority, which so far has been a red line for the White House.

The dirty not so secret reason is the GOP is more interested in using the hot topic border narrative in their political campaigns by casting all the blame on the Democrats for their inability to come up with legislation to solve the problem.

What would they do if legislation were actually passed? Republicans would lose one of their best campaign talking points. It would be like cutting their nose off to spite their face.

So, what happens next?

--------------------------------------------------

That presidential candidate RFK was Jeffrey Epstein's guest several times to Lolita Island? 

He even copped to it to News Nation when asked. "I took two plane rides with Jeffrey Epstein," he said. Infer what you will from this association. Those Kennedy boys do have a reputation.

---------------------------------------------------

There's a Toronto man who ran 242 freestyle marathons - marathon length runs with no set course - over the course of 2023 may have broken a world record.

Ben Pobjoy, who called his project the "Marathon Earth Challenge" traveled across North America, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia, running 26.2 miles in each location.

Pobjoy said he submitted evidence of his runs to Guiness World Records for review.  

------------------------------------------------

As it stands, "All you need in life is ignorance and confidence, and then success is sure." - Mark Twain