The short summary is, the Hastert Rule: 

The Hastert Rule, also known as the “majority of the majority” rule, is an informal governing principle used in the United States by Republican Speakers of the House of Representatives since the mid-1990s to maintain their speakerships and limit the power of the minority party to bring bills up for a vote on the floor of the House. Under the doctrine, the Speaker will not allow a floor vote on a bill unless a majority of the majority party supports the bill

Paul Ryan has a bit of a dilemma on his hands right now.  In order for him to resolve the #Trumpshutdown, he’ll need to break that Hastert rule.  Something he is loath to do.

With support for a short-term resolution for DACA recipients near 85%, getting a majority of The House to pass protection for DACA workers is simple math.  The problem for Ryan is, it would almost certainly have to break the Hastert rule.   It would be fairly simple to appease House democrats and persuade a handful of Republican congressmen on a solution to DACA, but the Freedom Caucus would start experiencing convulsions before the vote even hits the floor.  Oddly enough, about the only one who recognizes this at the moment is Lindsey Graham.  His odds of convincing his peers towards accepting a yes vote and moving on are slim to non-existent.

However if Ryan sticks to the Hastert rule, he’s also screwed because the House is currently filled with ultra conservative wing-nuts.  Any legislation they deem acceptable couldn’t possibly assemble 60 votes in the Senate.  This even discounts the Stephen Miller effect, who Graham is currently grousing about.

Meanwhile, president Bone Spur is advocating what Mitch McConnell knows to be political suicide – The Nuclear Option.  Donald Trump on Twitter:

Great to see how hard Republicans are fighting for our Military and Safety at the Border. The Dems just want illegal immigrants to pour into our nation unchecked. If stalemate continues, Republicans should go to 51% (Nuclear Option) and vote on real, long-term budget, no C.R.’s!

No way does Mitch McConnell want to go down the nuclear path with the mid-terms just 10 months away.  If he changes the rules, the republicans get the benefit for 10 months but if they manage to lose the Senate — which is a real possibility — he just handed over all the power to democrats who will only need 51 votes to pass legislation on anything, indefinitely.  Based on his own words, I do not see him complying with Trump’s wishes.  The only benefit would be a short-term one for Trump and McConnell is too smart to take the bait that.

I do not see an easy way out of this one.  Nobody likes egg on their face but someone is going to end up with a face plastered with yokes.  Gosh darn-it it’s hard to actually govern.