The Trump White House came dangerously close to shutting down the U.S. government over funding for its proposed wall along the border with Mexico. Here I explain the budget process, what we know of the administration’s wall-building plans, and why it’s a bad idea.

I think this one came out pretty well.

• The White House’s 2017 budget request is here.
• Here is a report and a CBP document, released by Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri), with the best level of detail we’ve seen about wall-building plans.
• Here’s a piece I did for WOLA at the end of March called “Throwing Money at the Wall.”