Shutdown: ‘Art of No Deal’ A Better Title for Trump’s Book
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It’s now official, the party which holds a majority in both the House, Senate and White House could NOT do their jobs and keep the government running.
If anyone believes the phony BS narrative being promoted by the White House or Senate Leader McConnell you should familiarize yourself with the facts regarding this failure of our government at the hands of the leadership of Republicans.
Three Republican Senators; Graham, Lee, and Paul voted against cloture, which simply means to end debate on the matter being considered on the floor, leading to a subsequent vote. In other words, Mitch McConnell whining after the vote that it was a “Democratic filibuster,” is pure baloney. On a more serious note: Many of you who follow me on Twitter know that I strongly advocated to grant Trump’s wish made earlier in September when he said,
“We need a good shutdown so we can fix this mess.”
Let the record be clear: The President of this nation advocated the government under his watch shut down.
Then, after Michael Wolff’s Fire and Fury hit the bookstores, revealing some of the most alarming and damning information about what is really taking place within this administration, Trump decided to do a photo-op with both party principals. In that meeting, telecast for over 55 minutes, Trump said that the DACA legislation – the Dreamer Act – should be a “bill of love.”
In addition, during that televised meeting, Trump told Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) that he had agreed with her on a clean DACA bill, that is until Rep. Kevin McCarthy reminded Trump about the conservative position, which is anti-immigration. Naturally, Republican members seem to forget that America has always welcomed immigrants to her shores, especially those escaping persecution.
Related: How Donald Trump Wants To Screw the Consumer Again
This led Senators Graham and Durbin to contact the White House the very next day with a “bipartisan” proposal for DACA. The meeting was set up within two hours and by the time the two Senators arrived, Stephen Miller and General John Kelly had convinced Trump to backpedal on his word to Senators Feinstein and Durbin while catering to the most radical element of the Republican party.
During that meeting, Trump used that asked why we had to take those people into our nation, a slam to African nations, and why we should “demand” more people from Norway. Of course, anyone with a brain – short of the Secretary of Homeland Security – clearly understands that Norway consists of approximately ninety-two percent White people.
In other words, the Republican Party and Trump himself ensured the failure of the DACA deal. One source states that this was McConnell and Trump’s intention all along, as part of a strategy to portray the Democrats in a negative light so they could gain the upper hand for the mid-terms. Whether true or not, the deal is dead.
In addition, the Republicans decided to NOT allow any spending bill come to the floor which could have extended the CHIP program, which affects nine million children, beyond March. That’s NINE MILLION children.
So, while it pains me that people may be affected by this shutdown, I believe the Democrats did the right thing. Why? First, as a nation we have never negotiated with terrorists, have we? The Republican Party began this hostage-taking style of extortion during the Obama years.
Trump is everything the Tea Party could have ever hoped for and he represents everything they stand for when looking at the matter from how they legislate. For the most part, many of those tea party lawmakers have not a bit of political experience, and they had and still have this “my way or the highway” mentality when it comes to legislating.
Tonight was different. Despite Mr. McConnell, Paul Ryan, and Trump using the exact same strategy, Democratic lawmakers stood up to them, and in so doing, called their bluff.
As a result, we now have a government shutdown. Not because it was a “Democratic strategy,” as McConnell would have Americans believe, but because Trump, McConnell, Speaker Paul Ryan, and Republicans used children of immigrants, and children with medical issues as political pawns, and our party leaders basically said, “Enough.”
Second, reinforcing behavior that is bad – from a psychological perspective – is not only counterproductive for the short-term but also sets up long-term problems. Tonight that long-term problem has been confronted.
How this all ends will depend on Democratic lawmakers continuing to stand firm no matter what spin republicans place on this fiasco.
Nobody is celebrating this night because not only is the outcome disheartening, but reflects how the Republican Party seems to be rudderless in a sea of propaganda which all starts with their leader.
In fact, it is disgusting that a political party would use children as political pawns to get their way while also trying to further de-fund some aspects of the ACA.
Related: No Smoke and Mirrors: Stop Lying and Start Talking Truth
The Republican Party and Trump need to learn that they do not just represent their base, but every single American citizen, something they stopped doing once they initiated the most obstructionist scheme against the former president.
Do Republicans really want to further fund the government? As Senator Schumer said, Democrats are “willing, able, and eager,” to deal with them IF they negotiate in good-faith.
For a man who supposedly is a master negotiator, he blew it on this one. Never allow the Republicans to argue in the public square that this shutdown is due to Schumer or the Democratic Party because that narrative is a blatant lie.
Counter the lie immediately with what really took place last night, remembering “he who controls the narrative wins.” Additionally, Democrats must remember that in a negotiation “the first person to speak loses.”
Polling reveals that the majority of people want a clean DACA bill. They want a clean CHIP bill, a clean bill for pensions, and a clean bill for our vets. There is no possible reason that these traditionally bipartisan measures cannot be passed.
The majority of the citizens in this country want these things because it makes good sense to take care of our own. Isn’t that what Donald Trump ran on? Was that not his message? Also, those basic requests further reinforce the very social contract it appears Republicans are hell-bent on destroying. Not. One. Single. Reason.
Not one, save Donald J, Trump.
I would be honored to have each of you connect with me on Facebook or follow me on Twitter as I continue holding this administration to account.
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Another one out of the park, Mark Bear. It’s why I love you.
So true, Mark. I agree with all you have said. I for one am sick of having two week budgets. I blame Trump and the GOP for not being able to get their act together whatever that act may be. I haven’t figured that out yet.
Hi Joan,
Don’t feel bad: You are not alone when it comes to trying to figure out precisely what it is that is their “act.” And, to be candid, I believe the majority of what they do is an “act,” a production if you will, which is specifically designed to mirror the reality show industry. In other words, I believe chaos is injected by intent, making it all the more alarming. Thanks for commenting Joan, and specifically your faithful following along to read my work. I truly do appreciate it and you.
Glenda,
I am sure you have heard by now, but Trump was supposed to send quite a few of his staff from the White House on furlough, but oh no, he exempted them. This leaves 1000 out of 1700, the highest percentage ever on record of his staff left in Washington. I found that interesting. And you are correct: They are in Washington to do the people’s business. Will they?
Great article. A government shutdown actually only shuts down the ones who are really doing their job. Now if we really had a good shutdown, it would allow the underlings who are the ones really working at the things that carry on the bulk of the governing to continue. So rather than those being furloughed, the ones who should be furloughed without pay are the president, vice president, senate and representatives. Based on the amount of governing that has been done by them, the government would function very well without them. Their job is representing us, the people of the USA, and they have not been doing that. Of course then we would need to send those home who were appointed by the president and consented to by the senate. Our government would run at least as well as it is now.
Deciding what to do about DACA has nothing to do with a shutdown no matter what who says. DACA immigrants are underage and the progran prevents them from being deported until they are 18 and can hire a lawyer and begin the process of getting a green card and applying for citizenship. Ending DACA simply means deporting children, a Republican Party facet of anti-immigration.
Immigration and funding the government are worlds apart.
“Ending DACA simply means deporting children…” Oh. Is that all?
Myra,
And yet the darned President placed the two together last week. He called it a “law of love.” In addition, this was promised to the Democratic Party two times on two stop-gap spending measures, during the latter part of the year. So, what promises should the Democratic lawmakers accept in light of the fact that the President did not want to deal with Schumer – even though he agreed to a deal with him – and they do not dispute that fact, or the Republicans refused to honor to take up DACA at the beginning of January. Negotiations must be done in good faith. Thanks for the input as I really do appreciate it.
Trump is inextricably linked to the Republicans now. At least until November.
Hi Dave,
That is an interesting side-effect of this entire mess, isn’t it? He tried to run as an outsider but this latest action will mark the man as a Republican or at least tied to them. At the hip.
I admit to complete bewilderment how a country like America could have a political system – and I use the word ‘system’ advisedly – that can actually close the place down!
Absolute madness.
It is madness, but what would happen if parliament couldn’t agree on a budget for the UK? Curious.
Everything doesn’t shut down, just certain government services, and a shutdown rarely lasts beyond a few days to a week, but yes, it’s fucked up.
Hi Michael,
To the latter part of your comment: It is indeed.
Neil,
How are you this evening? Yes, it is absolute madness because first, it is totally preventable. Second, it seems they really wanted this to occur. Third, we are supposedly a power nation and we cannot even keep our doors open. Disgusting. Thankfully, not everything will shut down as Michael points out but Mick Mulvaney upon hearing it would fall to him to determine which parts of government would remain and which would leave, he said it was “pretty cool.” Unreal. Thanks for taking the time to comment.
I completely agree. And thank you for being courageous enough to share your thoughts and enlighten those of us who aren’t as politically savvy or articulate. *shared*
Hello Lori,
It is I who must thank you folks for keeping me going. It is highly unpopular these days to speak truth, but when you have support like I do, it does make things a bit easier. I do not consider myself any more politically savvy or articulate, but I will take the compliment. Each of us has a voice and we need to push back on the narrative that Democratic lawmakers are responsible for this shutdown. How in God’s name they could create THAT narrative when they control all the levers is beyond me.
Excellent synopsis of the most recent attempt of the Tea Party AKA Freedom Caucus to destroy American democracy.
Hello Sherrie,
They surely have been at it now since 2008, haven’t they? We cannot allow a group of terrorist lawmakers dictate to the rest of the legislature what will or won’t take place. They simply cannot have their way all the damned time.
For many years there has been an erosion of decency, good faith dialogue, and keeping the citizenry instead of lobbiest or corporations as the focus of governing. I am disheartened how low all of this has become.They (our Representatives and mostly the Republicans) are eroding democracy to a very dangerous level. Thank you Mark Bear for speaking the truth and holding them accountable.
Hello Meme,
I specifically recall when that Tea Party wave took place. If the legislators had already witnessed an erosion of decency, the tea party crowd ensured there would be zero civility left. The manner in which they treated the former President made them look exactly like many suspected. I did not see it as a partisan disagreement, but hatred for the man occupying the Oval Office. Now, I am sure they are saying the same about us, but there could be nothing from the truth.
Well said, the republicans have been obstructioinists against the best interests of the country for many years and has handed control of our economy over to large corporations and a few rich people. They are trying to tear the government down so as to hand over any power the people have over to the elite rich. We are already being exposed to economical terrorism with the destruction of unions and the curtailing of personal freedoms. Next step for them is economical dictatorship. I have no idea how to fix this. Hopefully, smarter men than I will find a way to stop this unbridled capitalistic control of our lives.
Well said, and I couldn’t agree more. I also have no idea how to fix this other than at the ballot box.
Hello Bruce,
Yes! Government was never intended to be run with this mindset that the tea party people brought to Washington. Now, we have the “King of Tea” sitting in the Oval Office, who brings about this same style and look at the catastrophe we now have going on. I believe they really do want to dismantle all of our government. As Michael John Scott below states we are going to have to change out this mess at the polls.