Politics and views in the United States.

Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk killed while speaking at Utah Valley University. A government shutdown looms as Dems and the GOP hit an impasse and the Senate considers a rule change to speed up nomination votes.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

We are all horrified watching images and following the news out of Utah.

We are sending all of our thoughts to Mr. Kirk, to his family, to survivors there.

Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy speaking from the Senate floor.

While speaking at Utah Valley University, Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was shot in the neck and died.

At that moment, Kirk was actually answering questions about mass shooters over the last decade asserting many were transgender.

Controversial statements like this were a centerpiece of Kirk's activism and helped him capture the voice of young conservatives nationwide.

A suspect is in custody and Utah Governor Spencer Cox is calling Kirk's death a political assassination.

Political violence is intensifying in America.

Two Minnesota Democratic lawmakers were shot in June, an assailant set fire to the Pennsylvania Governor's mansion in April, and the New Mexico Republican headquarters were set on fire in March.

Most prominently, two would-be assassins attempted to shoot President Donald Trump when he was running for re-election.

Many historians tie the pattern to angry and virulent rhetoric.

Meanwhile, the partisanship continues in Congress as another government shutdown looms.

Lawmakers have until September 30th to pass a funding bill, but the sides seem to be at an impasse.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson says he's confident a budget bill will pass, although he accuses Democrats of "taking the path of maximum resistance."

It's not surprising.

They're struggling because they don't really have a message or a leader.

Their party registration is falling.

Their approval ratings are in the low 20s and they're about to elect a Marxist to be the mayor of New York City.

Democrats say they want restoration of some health care funding cut in the tax and budget mega bill, and some of them say they want Congress to defend its power of the purse against illegal White House overreach.

Trump is calling for lawmakers to push the deadline to the end of January with agencies funded at current levels.

Senate Republicans are proposing a new rule to speed up confirmation of lower-level Trump officials.

It would allow multiple nominees to be considered in a group.

They argue Democrats are slowing down a traditionally speedy process, although Democrats say they're just negotiating with the administration.

Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says they're resorting to this after talks fell apart in August. than giving those talks another chance.

Republicans would rather change how the Senate operates to weaken this chamber's traditional and powerful sense of deliberation.

He adds Trump's nominees, many of whom face criticism for extremist views, would get worse without the check provided by the confirmation process.

Republican Senate leader John Thune, who introduced the measure, calls the objections a "temper tantrum" over Trump.

So they've destroyed decades upon decades of Senate precedent and turned a historically bipartisan process into an exercise in petty partisanship.

Arizona Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego is denouncing the decision to give deceased veteran Ashley Babbitt military funeral honors.

Though Babbitt served in the Air Force and the Air National Guard, she was part of the mob that stormed the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

She was shot and killed by a U.S. Capitol Police officer after being warned not to break into the Speaker's lobby.

Gallego says military honors should remain sacred.

To give them to Babbitt would be a spit in the face to all of them and to every veteran who died defending this country.