You could probably see this coming from several miles away. I mean, why would the president put his presidency (shudder) on the line for a wall that he would have likely had if he pushed it harder when the Republicans controlled Congress? Why wait until a master politician like Nancy Pelosi is his adversary rather than trying to push the Human Marshmallow, Paul when he’s already oozing out the Congressional door?
Looks like the art of the deal is a crayon drawing that’s mostly outside the lines. And the great negotiator most of us knew we never had turned out to be the feckless blowhard that he really and truly is. And as is usual in these types of standoffs, the deal that came first, in December, was the deal that the two sides finally agreed to. And the collateral damage was the 800,000 public workers who have families, bills, lives, and dreams that the modern GOP sees as taxpaying suckers who do nothing useful. Like inspect our food. Or ensure our safety in the airports and the skies. Or gather key data for public use and the private sector. And keep our country beautiful. And secure.
The Republicans have been running against government for so long that they’ve forgotten that they benefit from it too, and that most Americans do not share their reactionary ideology that says the private sector and laissez-faire economics are the only systems worth protecting. Can you feel the air and water getting dirtier? No?
Just wait.
This short term deal is good for the country because the Democrats did not give anything back in return for the president agreeing to reopen the government. If they had, then Trump would have been emboldened to use it as a matter of Republican policy with the expectation that he could get what he wanted.
Let’s be clear: Both parties should pledge here and now that they will never, ever shut the government down. Both parties have their spending priorities and they should make them known in enough time for serious debate and public scrutiny. For the president to try and add money for a wall in response to right wing media condemnation is not governing.
It’s blackmail.
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