President Donald Trump (R) made the rounds in Asia, working foreign policy goals with a measure of success that was greater than the shortfalls. Meanwhile, Progressive-Democrats kept the US government closed over their Never Trump, No Way snit centered on their demand to permanently extend Obamacare subsidies that they’d planned for expiry when they passed their own spending bill during the Biden reign, a discussion that would occur apace once the government is reopened.

During Trump’s trip took him out of the country while the Progressive-Democrats held the government closed, and because of that, Progressive-Democrats led by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D, NY) bellyached loudly that Trump had left town during the shutdown. How dare he?

What’s being missed in the Progressive-Democrats’ plaints and what’s being actively ignored by the press is ex-President Jimmy Carter’s actions during the Iran hostage crisis. Carter promised to remain voluntarily imprisoned in the White House until those hostages were freed. He kept that promise for 444 days, with the hostages being released only the day before Ronald Reagan’s (R) inauguration, with Reagan having promised sterner responses to Iran’s hostage-taking.

Presidents holing up at home in response to every problem—serious or otherwise—that comes up only stupidly limits the President’s options and capabilities for dealing with other problems—serious or otherwise—that also crop up, even in today’s more modern communications environment.

It seems, though, that the Progressive-Democrats have chosen to ignore that lesson. They seem to have chosen, instead, to be upset that they can’t control a sitting President of the other party.