There’s a sad irony in watching the federal government come to a grinding halt — not because of some unresolvable crisis, but because our politics have turned into a circus. Earlier this month, a shutdown wasn’t inevitable. But President Trump practically locked the door and threw away the key Monday night when he shared an AI deepfake video mocking his main negotiating partners: Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.