What is happening in the US seems to be a case of self interest ruling over public interest...

Game theorists call this kind of situations "tragedy of commons", which means that everyone is looking after their own plot and none is looking after the common fields – and everyone participates in its plunder.

The republican politicians are now looking after their own career, and betting that by keeping their heads down they will winter this situation and keep their political careers – and in the end even possibly get personal winnings out of the plunder undertaken on the common good of the American society.

They must be shown that there will be price for their inaction – that is only way to break this circle of their self interest leading to immoral politics.