The shutdown is nearly three weeks old now, with no sign of an immediate end. However, there are signs of cracks in the Republican facade. Mike Johnson, who had been adamant about not reopening the House until the end of the shutdown, is now talking about a "change of strategy", and reopening the House. The Republicans are also talking about passing a much longer continuing resolution, until the end of next year, rather tacitly admitting that this shutdown is hurting them, and they don't want to have to deal with another one. Donald Trump is talking about ending the "madness", and how he won't be "extorted". All of these suggest that the Republicans are getting a bit hot under the collar, and feeling the heat.

However, the Democrat demands are likely more than just an enormous amount of money for better health care support. The Democrats want the military out of Blue States, and returned to the control of the governors. The governors want ICE cut down to size, and on a tighter leash. The Democrats want an end to the attack prosecutions of Trump's enemies. And, above all, the Democrats want higher taxes on the rich, to bring the deficit under control without affecting benefits.

It's not that everything Trump has done is entirely bad or entirely ureasonable. He's certainly correct that the media is always biased, one way or another, that there are many criminal elements amongst the immigrant community, and that colleges and universities are fairly useless, on the whole. However, taking a wrecking ball to the immigrant communities, the media and even the colleges and universities probably isn't the best approach here, and Trump does need to be brought under control.

Currently, Trump's popularity is largely unchanged, and fairly low. The Democrats are retaining their lead in the generic polling, and are not particularly being blamed for the shutdown's impact, which can only increase over time. In particular, it might become very difficult to continue paying the military or federal law enforcement, if the shutdown goes on much longer.

So, within the next few weeks, it seems likely the Republicans are going to have to change their ways, or else. And, even the Republicans seem to be aware of it. Can the leopard change its spots though? We shall have to see. The Democrats, and the whole world, are watching.