[Publius]

The thought that caught my eye is that the Dems in the House, cannot take over the house while the government is shut. Nor can they launch investigations if the gov't is shut.

Not true. What is closed are certain departments of the Executive Branch. The Legislative Branch is open for business, and congressmen and senators are being paid. On January 3, the new House is sworn in, takes office and can do what it pleases.

[nclaurel]

Won’t government employed Dems be “happy” to go without pay while the Dems in the House concentrate on hurting Trump not on getting the shutdown solved. That should really show them how much those creeps they elected care about them.

[ROCKLOBSTER]

On January 3, the new House is sworn in, takes office and can do what it pleases.

Except, it seems, the President can tell them to go home until needed.