by KeithE » Sat Jan 20, 2018 2:34 pm
1) The Senate Dems should have enough of their ranks vote Yes on the Continuing Resolution (CR) to let it pass (Doug Jones already said he will vote Yes and he did vote No on cloture last night hoping for solution); at the same time demand (with Trump and McConnell publicly promising to do so) that a fix to DACA (allowing the dreamers stay in the country) be completed by the DACA end date of March 5. Note that believes DACA should be continued forever to save 700,000+ fully integrated Americans - only extreme nationalism says otherwise.
2) The Senate GOP (w/ or w/o Trumps’ approval) should add a DACA fix to the CR (extending it at least a few years) and I believe it will pass. I doubt this will occur but it would end the Shutdown.
Which ever side does this first will improve their popularity with the public. “Blinking” in this case is not a sign of weakness but of pragmatism/adulthood.
And quit the blame game - it does not help.
Shutdowns (if they are short term) and CRs have been no big deal to military programs I’ve been involved with. We expected and usually were well prepared to deal with CRs by saving funds from previous year(s). But I'm sure they do hurt other programs in varying degrees. Now if the shutdown (not CRs) goes on long term, we are in uncharted country.
I don’t think Trump cares if much of the government is shut down. He would love many Government agencies and bureaus to disappear - I can think of a few myself e.g. the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and the Dept of Education (leave it to the states). But the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau? - that frees up the payday lenders, shell companies that hide malfeasance, use offshore banks to avoid taxes, ...
But on the positive side, I do see that Trump is staying in Wash DC instead of another trip to Mir-al-Largo for a fund raising party. That shows he wants this impasse won, more than partying (contributions will always be received).
And I doubt Trump cares about the DACA recipients either. He cares about himself, the rich, and big business (thinks it will all flow downhill from there). His tax cut bill shows his/the GOP's priorities and that is certainly not the lower/middle/upper middle classes.
What do you all think?
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