"Partisans can make everything partisan. For example, who causes a standoff? Both sides. It takes two to stand off. If either side gave in to its opponent's position, there would be no standoff. So who caused the government shutdown? Both sides, of course. The Republicans were being stubborn on issues that mattered to Republicans. The Democrats were being stubborn on issues that mattered to Democrats."
"Here's an even worse example: Who's to blame for Rahmanullah Lakanwal having shot two National Guardsmen in Washington, D.C., last week? Rahmanullah Lakanwal, of course. Or maybe you could break it down further. Let's allocate blame as, say: 95% Lakanwal, who was, after all, the shooter; 1% Lakanwal's parents and health care professionals, who probably didn't raise him right and treated his mental illness poorly; 1% the Taliban and the CIA, who together seemingly caused some of Lakanwal's mental health issues;"
Partisans can render many conflicts into partisan contests. Standoffs result from unwillingness by both sides, since either side yielding would end the stand-off. The government shutdown occurred because both parties insisted on their priorities. Rahmanullah Lakanwal bears principal responsibility for shooting two National Guardsmen. Additional, smaller shares of responsibility can be identified: parents and health professionals for upbringing and mental-health care; the Taliban and the CIA for contributing to mental-health issues; the Biden administration for admitting Lakanwal under Operation Allies Welcome; and the Trump administration for asylum, shifted counterterror priorities, and the D.C. National Guard deployment amid coordination and risk concerns.
Read at Above the Law
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