If we have a government shutdown, does that mean that President Trump can finally start shrinking the government?

Welcome to the Reason Roundtable. This is your Libertarian Review of Politics and Culture from the editors of Reason magazine.

I am your host, Peter Souterman, and today I am joined by my illustrious colleagues,

Catherine Mangy Ward, Matt Welch, and Nick Gillespie.

Happy shutdown week, everybody.

Sure looks like we're headed for a government shutdown later this week.

And the Trump administration is already making plans

for the mass firing of federal workers.

Catherine, I want to start with you.

White House Press Secretary Karen Lin-Levitt was asked on Monday about whether there would be federal workforce layoffs if the government shuts down.

And here's what she said.

There will be if Democrats don't keep the government open.

So is this government shutdown the path to a smaller, better, more efficient government

finally?

No.

Oh, thanks.

Right.

I mean, so this is the problem.

She, first of all, hilarious talking points energy here if the Democrats keep government

open.

It's a Republican dominated Congress.

They could be doing their jobs. They could be doing their jobs.

...