Nationally syndicated radio talk show host, TV host, author and American lawyer Mark Levin (Screenshot)

On his nationally syndicated radio talk show, “The Mark Levin Show,” on Monday night, radio host Mark Levin said that the phrase “government shutdown” “is a lie,” and noted that 75 percent of the government is already funded, as reported by CNSNews.com.

“They don’t even tell you – what does that mean, ‘the government shut down’?” Levin asked. “First of all, that phrase is a lie; the government doesn’t shut down. You’ll be long dead – your children and your grandchildren too – before this government shuts down, unless it shuts down from a financial and economic collapse. But, legally? No.

“‘Seventy-five percent of the government[’s] already been funded’ – are you aware of this? – as they point out at CNSNews.com,” Levin continued.

Mark Levin’s remarks came in response to warnings of a potential “government shutdown” on Friday, Dec. 21, 2018 if Congress and President Donald J. Trump cannot agree on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal departments. The delay is due, in large part, to a stalemate over proposed funding for Trump’s southern border wall. During his remarks, Levin quoted from a news story on CNSNews.com.

Below is a transcript of Levin’s remarks from his show on Monday:

“So, this government shutdown business: ‘Will the government shut down, or not? Friday night, midnight! Will the government shut down, or not?’ “They don’t even tell you – what does that mean, ‘the government shut down’? First of all, that phrase is a lie; the government doesn’t shut down. You’ll be long dead – your children and your grandchildren too – before this government shuts down, unless it shuts down from a financial and economic collapse. But, legally? No. “‘Seventy-five percent of the government[’s] already been funded’ – are you aware of this? – as they point out at CNSNews.com. “He signed a minibus appropriations bill – the president did – ‘that funded the Department of Energy; Military Construction [and] Veterans Affairs; [and] the ... Legislative Branch for the entirety of fiscal [2019].’ “That doesn’t end until September 2019, the 30th.

“‘Then, on Sept. 28, Trump signed another ‘minibus’ law funding the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health [and] Human Services [(HHS)] and Education through the end of [the] fiscal year’ again – September 30, 2019. “And, so, 75 percent of the government’s funded. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid are specifically, as a matter of statute, carved out to be protected. The United States military and federal law enforcement: specifically carved out to be protected, should there be a government shutdown. “Now, that’s 25 percent of the government that’s subject to a shutdown – but that’s not even true – because, of that 25 percent, they have what’s called essential and nonessential employees and tasks. A significant percentage of the 25 percent is said to be essential. And as I’ve told you before, many years ago, when I had Paul Ryan on this program, when he was actually conservative – I think he was heading the appropriations committee – he said, that under the worst of circumstances, 17 percent of the government is effectively shut down when we have a full shutdown. So, we cry crocodile tears. “Now, those of us who live in the private sector, a shutdown is a shutdown. Those of us who live in the private sector, when you’re given a pink slip, you’re not reimbursed, later, for every dollar you would’ve earned but for the fact that there was quote, unquote, a shutdown. So, even nonessential employees never lose out. They might be inconvenienced, but in the private sector, you actually lose your d--- job.