CFP: Yesterday President Trump vowed to shut down the federal government if Congress refuses to cough up the dough for the southern border wall that the American people have been demanding for decades.
“Build that wall,” Trump said at a campaign-style rally in Phoenix, Arizona. “Now the obstructionist Democrats would like us not to do it, but believe me if we have to close down our government, we’re building that wall.”
A Republican president threatening a Republican Congress with a shutdown is a political rarity like the total eclipse much of the nation experienced the same day Trump made his statement.
And like the eclipse, it’s a beautiful thing.
Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisc.) is drinking the lazy, status-quo, statist Kool-Aid. Duffy told Fox News Channel this afternoon that a government shutdown is to be avoided at all costs because it “takes our eye off” other problems. Typical cowardice.
Contrary to the do-nothing propaganda that endlessly dominates the media ecosystem, the shutdown won’t be unpopular; if anything, it’s more likely to be wildly popular.
There is no risk, no political downside at all. more here
Every politician opposing the wall should have to give reasons why they oppose it. They must also tell us why their opinion has changed from 2006 when then Senator Obama and Chuck Schumer approved funding it.
Which is better:
Funding a border wall or shutting down the inept and corrupt Government?
Decisions, decisions!!!!!!!
Rant – continued:
The only reason we knew the government was shut down in 2013 was because Obama refused American citizens access to open air memorials – remember the WWII vets prevented from visiting the memorial in their honor? Obama also instructed the park service to prevent taxpaying citizens from taking pictures of Mount Rushmore and Old Faithful and the “essential” bureaucrats enforced it.
As for harming Republicans (even though it was Obama who shut the government down) GOP controls the House, the Senate the White House and the vast majority of state houses and governorships and is breaking fund-raising records.
Meanwhile, Democrats have lost more than 1,200 seats, can’t raise money and is in debt.
Sounds like shutting down the government is a sure-fire winner for GOP. We should shut the government down (without pay) for at least one month out of every year.
We were told there was funding already available 8 months ago. There wont ever be a wall. There was never going to ever be one. You all know that, right?
Bman – Is Hillary still ahead by 12?
I’ve been saying that for decades. “Go ahead and shut it down, let’s see if it’s missed.”
Page O Turner@
Question: When is Hillary due to be released from the skin crawling clinic?
I vote for a shutdown. The people will love it.
Unfortunately the parasite employees all continue to be paid. So it’s just a paid vacation.
I’m not convinced a wall is necessary- there are more cost-efficient methods that will make illegals self-deport. Many have already done so.
And, there are plenty of useless and counterproductive gov’t agencies that have been squandering our tax dollars for far too long. Defund or shut them down.
The sooner, the better.
Why wait? Furlough now.
You won’t miss 95% of them.
Rufus – – I like the way you think.
My memory bank is short on details just now, but Mick Mulvaney delivered a long press opportunity at the WH a while back in which he already covered the “second bite of the (obama) budget apple” in which many millions were officially budgeted for the wall already. For the naysayers who claim it is and never will be built, it’s already being built. Miles of it, in the most vulnerable areas, are being built or replacing chain link fencing, according to Mulvaney, the Director of OMB.
Mulvaney’s presser is on YT. I think it was back in May.
The Feds designate their truly necessary workers as “Essential Personnel”. These are the unlucky saps who are expected to make superhuman efforts to get to work as scheduled during Blizzards, Blackouts, mass transportation disruptions, power outages etc.
First Responders, Air Traffic Controllers, etc.
Trump should EO a new designation of “NonEssential Personnel” for the 99.9%.
This goes on all their official badges, name tags, desk plates, office doors, HR records, and all their letterhead and email correspondence.
Powerful wake-up call to the citizenry.
Powerful reminder to the Entrenched Bureaucrats that they are, really, just parasites feeding at the public trough.
Welfare recipients with a (slight) dress code.
Next, display their exact Federal Pay Level on all correspondence and communications with Taxpayers/Citizens.
The hue and cry to reduce government employment rolls will soon be a roar.
Much easier for Trump to initiate massive permanent job eliminations with public support.
I’m all for a shutdown, but all government employees should not be paid for work they do not do–a government shutdown should not be a paid vacation. If government employees were actually not being paid because the government shut down, they would pressure Congress to end the shutdown and reach an agreement with the President. As it stands, why should they care?
Rufus, I like your idea of labeling non-essential employees. But if you really want government reform, do away with tax withholding. Make every American taxpayer write a check at the end of the month to the I.R.S. like you do for your electric bill. If taxpayers actually had to write out a monthly check, they would demand spending reform immediately!