The great Trump/Republican government shutdown of 2018 has begun.
The Democrats blame
The Republicans blame
Here are the official positions of each party:
The Republicans aver that the Democrats, sensing weakness, refused to approve a reasonable spending bill until the Republicans and Trump agreed to 1) Let all Mexicans who have criminal records into the United States with fast access to becoming citizens. Mexicans with sex crime priors should receive special treatment; 2) Agreed to a constitutional amendment making Sharia law the co-equal law of the land;3) Agreed to outlaw all restrooms for men and women, and order all public facilities to install only unisex restrooms and transgender rest rooms; 4) Agree to not pay military families until all members of Isis receive food stamps; and finally, to raise taxes on all Americans earning less than one hundred thousand dollars a year 100%.
This is how the Republicans characterize the position of leading Democrats.
The Democrats counter that the Republicans would not accept a reasonable deal until the Democrats agreed to 1) Lower taxes to 1% on all Americans making one million dollars a year or more; 2) Outlaw immigration from any country except Israel, Norway and Russia; 3) Agree to award Vladimir Putin the Congressional Medal of Honor; 4) Fund a special counsel to investigate special counsel Robert Muller; 4) Arrest Hillary Clinton; 5) Retroactively impeach Bill Clinton and Barak Obama and erase all mentions of their names from the history books and the internet; 6) Impose a ten thousand dollar usage fee for all people earning less than fifty thousand dollars a year who seek health care; and 7) Reinstate Plessy v. Ferguson.
This is how the Democrats have characterized the position of the Republican Party and the President.
Naturally, both sides have expressed optimism that a resolution is close.
And so it goes.....
From Occupied and Shut Down America, Fight the Power.
33 comments:
I can't understand the democratic/CNN position that republicans own the shutdown because they "control" the presidency and both houses of congress. It's patently absurd. Democrats "controlled" the presidency and both houses when Obama first took office, and the dream act was never even brought up for a vote, was it? So now the republican president who ran against amnesty wins, and they won't vote for a clean spending bill they like, because it doesn't contain a fix for DACA that they didn't even bring up themselves when they were in power? Um, gimme a break.
The flaming liberal democrats who refused to negotiate OUR national budget without slipping in bill for immigrants should be charged with treason. It’s sickening. Why do people like Schumer and Pelosi put immigrants before Americans. It makes me sick. Your title should be the treasonous Democrat shutdown of 2018. This has nothing to do with trump. It’s all the democrats fault. These 2 issues should be negotiated separately.
This is the equivalent of an ASA and Def Atty negotiating 2 defendants together. Hey, if you give bob 30 years, joe will get probation. If bob doesn’t take 30, joe gets life. Bob and joe are not part of the same case.
It’s preposterous. It’s egregious. And the blame is 100% democrat. Perhaps sessions, who I will admit is the worst AG in American history, will find a way to deport this moronic traitors.
MAGA.
And as you can see with 8:42 AM's comment, s/he truly, really, truly and deeply believes that Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi et. al, shut down the government because they wanted to open the borders to hordes of poor, dark-skinned, Mexican, Muslim, and African immigrants who are criminals, and fully of disease, and it is only because level headed and reasonable men like Mitch McMconnel and Donald Trump just cannot bring themselves to agree to let in millions of AIDs afflicted criminals and terrorists and Muslim Imams who want to ban Christianity, that we have a government shut down.
8:42 really truly believes the democrats said to President Trump: "Mr. President, we cannot vote for a funding bill until you agree to let every Mexican and Muslim who wants to come to this country, to come and gain immediate citizenship. And we want special, quick approval for those immigrants who have AIDS, or who have criminal records. And if you do not agree, and do not agree to appoint more Muslim judges who will impose Sharia law on Americans, then we, as Democrats, cannot agree to a funding bill."
This is what 8:42 believes happens. Because 8:42, and millions and millions of Americans believe Fox News and Brietbart tell the truth.
And this is why we may very well be doomed.
Mommy, why can't you and Daddy pay for my birthday party next week?
Because Daddy isn't getting his paycheck.
But I thought Daddy works for the airforce?
He does sweeties, but bad men and women shut the government down, so daddy won't get paid for a while.
Who are these bad men and women mommy, and why are they doing this?
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are the bad man and bad woman. And they want our government to let in sick people from Hati and Africa who can get us sick. And they want our government to make all bad Mexicans who steal US citizens. And they want to let in bad men who are Muslims who want to stop us from going to church on Sunday and instead pray to a bad man named Allah.
I'm scared mommy.
Don't worry baby. Good men like President Trump and Senator McConnel and Ted Cruz aren't going to let that happen. They will protect us from the sick people from Hati and Africa and the bad Mexicans who steal and kill and the mean Muslims who hate Jesus Christ.
Why are bad men and women like Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer doing this mommy?
I'm not sure sweetie. It has something to do with a really really bad man born in Africa named Barak Obama and he wants to take your doctor, and mommy's doctor, and grandma's doctor away from us and make all of us use the doctor he chooses. Only people who live in Hollywood California, or who work for the New York Times or who are on the TV show Morning Joe can get to use the doctors they want. And Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer take their orders from that bad man and his friend Hillary Clinton.
Oh I know Hillary Clinton mommy. The men on the news show say she should go to prison.
Yes sweetie-pie, that is true. She stole money and made fake allegations that our president was friends with Russians and we all know that is not true.
Well Mommy, if it helps our president then I will just wait for my birthday party.
Thank you. You are the very best girl and I will tell the president when I see him at work today baby.
Fight the power and shut down fisa.
Sorry Rump. You've got this one wrong. You filled up a lot of space in your comment above, but none of it was even remotely close to what 8:42 am said.
The arguments on both sides are complex, but yet they are very simple. The Dems want to get a bill passed that resolves the DACA (Dream babies) dilemma. 800,000 children, who, through no fault of their own, were brought across the borders, illegally, by a family member. They live in this country with uncertainty. Uncertain as to how much longer they will be permitted to stay; uncertain as to whether they will ever be able to call themselves US citizens; uncertain as to whether they will be able to go to college, get a job, and raise a family, only to be put on the next plane back to Mexico.
The Repubs want to fund the government, for another week, or two weeks, or three weeks, or longer. They want a bill passed (not "past" as was tweeted by the Trumpster) that pays the bills so that our military can operate, our national parks can stay open, the CDC can keep its doors open, and so children in poverty can continue to get the support they need.
The Dems decided that, rightly or wrongly so, because our President is so unpredictable with his words and actions as it relates to immigration and DACA (the most recent cited example is his words describing these immigrants as coming from certain "shithole" countries), that they had to use this moment to hold the country hostage and get a deal done on DACA, for fear that, eight weeks from now when the DACA protections cease to exist, a deal will not have gotten done. They seized this moment, because in politics, when it comes to legislation, it's always been a give and take when it comes to passing bills. There are no more "clean bills" in Washington DC.
The last clean bill that came across a President's desk was the Declaration of War signed by FDR in 41.
The Repubs say one has nothing to do with the other. Fund the government now. We have eight weeks to negotiate and resolve the DACA problem.
I understand, admire and appreciate the resolve of the Dems, fighting for the little guy, like they always have; fighting for those who have no voice, like they always have; and this time fighting for 800,000 kids who just want to live, learn, love, work, and call themselves Americans.
But on this fight, the Dems got it wrong. And Rump, so do you.
Rump,
Funny how the point of your original post was how both sides can get hysterical, but you then end this reply to 8:42 on a hysterical note.
I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest the contrary...we will all survive, and have very rosy futures, despite 8:42, Fox, brietbart, huff post, CNN, etc.
Sorry Rump. You've got this one wrong. You filled up a lot of space in your comment, but none of it was even remotely close to what 8:42 am said.
The arguments on both sides are complex, but yet they are very simple. The Dems want to get a bill passed that resolves the DACA (Dream babies) dilemma. 800,000 children, who, through no fault of their own, were brought across the borders, illegally, by a family member. They live in this country with uncertainty. Uncertain as to how much longer they will be permitted to stay; uncertain as to whether they will ever be able to call themselves US citizens; uncertain as to whether they will be able to go to college, get a job, and raise a family, only to be put on the next plane back to Mexico.
The Repubs want to fund the government, for another week, or two weeks, or three weeks, or longer. They want a bill passed (not "past" as was tweeted by the Trumpster) that pays the bills so that our military can operate, our national parks can stay open, the CDC can keep its doors open, and so children in poverty can continue to get the support they need.
The Dems decided that, rightly or wrongly so, because our President is so unpredictable with his words and actions as it relates to immigration and DACA (the most recent cited example is his words describing those immigrants as coming from certain "shithole" countries), that they had to use this moment to hold the country hostage and get a deal done on DACA, for fear that, eight weeks from now when the DACA protections cease to exist, a deal will not have gotten done. They seized this moment, because in politics, when it comes to legislation, it's always been a give and take when it comes to passing bills. There are no more "clean bills" in Washington DC.
The last clean bill that came across a President's desk was the Declaration of War signed by FDR in 41.
The Repubs say one has nothing to do with the other. Fund the government now. We have eight weeks to negotiate and resolve the DACA problem.
I understand, admire and appreciate the resolve of the Dems, fighting for the little guy, like they always have; fighting for those who have no voice, like they always have; and this time fighting for 800,000 kids who just want to live, learn, love, work, and call themselves Americans.
But on this fight, the Dems got it wrong. And Rump, so do you.
If democrats extract daca, get ready for the next extraction. And then things will flip and republicans will try to get an extraction, citing the democrats. Tit for tat, quite predictably. Is this where we want to be? Everything just like judicial nominations?
The partisanship is insane, as is the commingling of issue. Both parties (R's before, D's now) have shamelessly held our country hostage on budgetary issues to achieve their goals. It's despicable and just as embarrassing as the inane tweets/comments from our so-called leaders.
BTDT
PS----Rump, your attack on 842 was way over the top. One can oppose DACA, etc. without being a racist. Was his comment over the top? It's ridiculous to place ALL of the blame on the D's (each party is due their fair share)? But, his or her comment wasn't what you made of it. Part of the problem, which you're playing into, is that neither side allows the other to even attempt to make their points with name calling, playing the race card, calling each other traitors (as 842 did), etc. What ever happened to honest and open debate? Do we really have to attack each other personally on everything?
At the end of the day trump should have lowered the taxes of professionals but instead we got screwed again. He keeps carried interests which directly helps the real estate business. Carried interests is a fucking scam. It’s tine to get get out of law and open a business.
842 here. I am not a racist. However, I do put Americans first though. Always will. I simply don’t understand why Daca and the national budget need to be intertwined
I don’t recall mentioning Muslims, aids or sharia law. What you are doing is twisting my words, and quite poorly I might add.
These are 2 issues that need to be negotiated separately. I would be happy to debate this issue in a common sense way. But please don’t put words in my mouth. It accomplished nothing
Today I am concerned more with federal employees who can’t go to work bc some of our representatives can’t separate issues.
Admittedly, I am anti immigration. Once our house is in order I will reconsider my views.
And I listen to both cnn and fox. Neither is very accurate, but cnn is so comical in its commentaries and guests. They should call themselves the liberal news network. They clearly have an agenda. Just as fox should be called the conservative news network
Happy playoffs. I’m taking the jags and Vikings
The Statue of Liberty is closed bc the dems won’t negotiate a national budget. Why must illegal immigrants take precedence over our country. A shameful day in America.
The Dems want 800,000 votes and nothing else. They control the Senate because they control the critical 10 votes. They should just change the rules and let majority rule in the Senate.
Think the Dems have hurt themselves this time. Won't be able to dump this on the Republicans.
Please bring back Judge De la O now.
Out of curiosity, were you born in the United States? Or are you like the majority of Cuban Americans, who are immigrants and now want to close the boarder for all other immigrants. I am a Cuban American and do not understand the hypocrisy from the majority of Cuban Americans.
842,
Republican Congressfolks are lying assholes with no moral code. We cannot trust what they say because all that comes out of their mouthholes are lies.
800,000 Americans will be deported if Congress does not act. 9 million children will lose health insurance if Congress does not act.
Democrats have leverage. They want to use the leverage they have to keep the 800,000 from being deported and cover the 9 million. Astonishingly most Americans, some 78%, and most Republicans, over 60% want both the Dreamers protected and kids covered by insurance. If the Democrats pass a spending bill based on the Republican promise to act, the lying Republicans will snatch the dreamer bill off the tee like Lucy holding the football for Charlie Brown.
Democrats know that if they don't protect the dreamers now, and fund Children's health insurance now, there will be no protection and no health coverage. Republicans have had over four months to pass legislation that the President, the Speaker of the House and the head of the Senate all say they want to pass. (Somehow, they haven't been able to do so in the last four months.)
So, if they do not use the leverage they have, children won't have health coverage, and 800,000 Americans will be deported. If the government cannot protect children, there is no point in having a government. A nation that would deport 800,000 of its' own does not deserve to exist.
Who really gives a shit about any of this on the Blog.
Life is so TRANSIENT anyway.
The UNIVERSE IS EXPANDING.
WE are doomed anyway.
“Why must illegal immigrants take precedence over our country.” (Sunday @ 9:51)
A telling comment. One which signals the ingrained bias, prejudice and resentment harbored by many in our Country. Although it is said that ignorance is the root of prejudice, in my opinion more than ignorance. For some it is resentment; resentment of the accomplishment of individuals whose skin color, hair, or culture differs; resentment of the economic and political cloud of the “inferior” class, and indeed for others it is outright hatred. Every attainment by this "inferior" class cuts their being like a surgeons scalpel. As a Cuban American whose father fled Cuba to the US and lived under an “immigration parol,” ironically while working for our Government, I know so well what it is like to have “immigration” check up on you and your family. I know what it is like to fear the police officer who refers to you in derogatory terms, often with emphasis on “speak English!” I remember what it was like growing up in the 60's being referred to in pejorative terms. Terms and phrases I will never forget. I recall the days when there were few Hispanic Judges.(Thank God for Margarita Esquiroz and Mario Goderich). I recall Judges like Jack Turner, C.P. Lance, and McKenzie, who was usually reeked of alcohol. I appreciate Donald Trump for his “revolution” which has encouraged or embolden those who have hypocritically concealed their bigotry, racism, prejudice and disdain for Hispanics to show their colors. Sadly, some of those are serving our community even as Judges. Seeing Judges who have courted Hispanic votes when seeking election or re-election and then observing their sub silentio bias, prejudice and outright discrimination when they attain election is disappointing, but not as disappointing as watching some of “our own” who are complacent, remain silent and sit idle just to be “accepted.” I recall wise words shared with me in my youth - “being invited into their home or invited to dinner does not mean they accept you, it just means they can use you; wait until you announce you are marrying into the family before your let down your guard.” I though it was safe to "come out;" to let down my guard, but the Donald Trump revolution and recent experiences have taught me it is still not safe, prejudice and bias are alive and embolden in our legal community.
Unfortunately, the basic operational function of approving base fiscal appropriations have become weaponized by both parties. Neither DACA nor a "Wall" have anything to do with "keeping the lights on" for day-to-day operations that aren't related to immigration. While the issues are important, do they really supersede everything else to stalemate the functions of the Feds? Is it really the case that our federal government can't function until we figure out an agreement on immigration issues? There are a lot of other issues the Feds must address that are now tabled and frozen because of this. When government employees and services become pawns in the public policy chess game, they lose and we lose. Let's be honest, this type of scenario will lead to some short-term concessions on immigration and a big "kicking of the can downfield" by both sides on an overall immigration policy. That's because nobody in DC is even thinking of revising the Immigration Act by amendment - to establish exceptions and limits on Lawful Entry among other things. That's too big of a task for our Congress. Instead, they'll vie for political props in the end. Congressional Elephants and Donkeys will laude their success on approving their concessions on this shut-down in a week or two, and, the problems with immigration and the "Wall" will continue. The only winners being the media, who have a really "hot" item to report, analyze, speculate on or polarize with commentary, and are making money as they do it. I'd venture to say if the folks up in Congress really wanted to address the issues, and really end the shut-down scenario, the real concession would be to agree to amend the Immigration Act in next 12 months, or they don't get paid. That would incentivize the low accountability and finger pointing going on right now.
Dear Horace.
One of your readers wrote, "One can oppose DACA, etc. without being a racist." Really, how is that possible?
There is a human, a real human, brought here by his parents from El Salvador as a non-verbal infant. This person grew up in the mid-west, and speaks no spanish. He's 23. Your reader wants to deport him to a country he does not know, when the language is one he does not speak, and with a barely functioning government that will view him as hostile. What reason would justify doing this to another person other than racism? The 20% of our population who does not support the dream act are the deplorables; the sick, twisted, pedophiles, Klu Kluxers, and other scum that act as a drain on our great nation.
Immigration is not complicated. A grade-schooler can understand it. The US, like any republic, has only so much space in its territory and economy. Once you pass a certain threshold, it is detrimental to citizens to take in more immigrants.
We have, already in place, an immigration system to manage the intake of people who want to come. Anyone who skips this process takes the place of someone who engages the process and waits her turn. If you want to create an exception to this system, whereby millions of people will lose their turn to those who skipped the process... fine. Seems unfair, but hey -- run for office and try to pass that legislation.
What Obama did with DACA was make an executive decision without allowing Congress to pass the law allowing DACA people to take others' spaces. Dems in Congress do not want Trump to make a similar executive decision undoing this.
Note -- they are not proposing that this amnesty be a law they vote on. This is not a democratic process. They want Obama's undemocratic decision to stand unchallenged, unvoted on.
That's bullshit. And if you call someone a "racist" or a "Nazi" for supporting the legality of managed immigration, you have an IQ below 100. If you support DACA, you should be able to identify the precise location of the millions of applicants who will get rejected and you should have the balls to explain to Hector or Lupe that they lost their spot in line. You care a lot about "kids"? Explain it to their kids.
Of course, you cannot. You will simply throw around explicit and implicit accusations of racism, which account for the complete loss of meaning of that word. Thing race relations are bad right now? Youre to blame. You've never seen such open "white nationalism"? Youre to blame. You cannot fathom how someone like Trump could win? (And will win again in 2020). Youre to blame.
If, on the other hand, you want a complete re-vamping of the immigration laws such that there is no penalty for ignoring them, be open and upfront and debate the matter on its strengths or weaknesses. Let me guess, you wont do that.
Dear 8:42:
You asked "Why do people like Schumer and Pelosi put immigrants before Americans[?]" The answer is, they don't. But a better question might be "Why do people like Schumer and Pelosi put immigrants on equal footing Americans[?]"
The answer can be found in the following simple, often quoted, and more often ignored, line:
"We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal"
The line is NOT "that all Americans are created equal and that everyone else can wait in line or go-f**k themselves"
BTDT
Are you going to write your own post or just comment on those of others?
Rump.
Here we go with this crazy guy again? Really? This guy thinks he can stereotype and it's okay? Instead of "Cuban" substitute "black" or "female" and then tell me if you would allow this comment to be published.
457, I am not and would never claim to be a great blogger. But, one of these days, I'll start my own thread. Thanks for asking ;-)
BTDT
Are you an idiot? Didn't you know CHIP was in the CR that the democrats voted against? Lol.
It's not a telling comment. You read it how you want to so you can cast those who disagree with you as racist. It's tired, boring, and certainly has nothing to do with bad words actual racists may have spoken to you previously. Some people, me included, think we shouldn't withhold pay for our military families as political leverage for ANYONE.
Mr. Moral clarity, Okay, so is it just a one time thing? Or do we continue legalizing any child who is brought here and makes it to high school? Or maybe middle school, because that would be racist too? What about most of the way through elementary school? Racist if no? But the kids don't even know Spanish, so racist, right? What about mom and dad who actually made the choice to come illegally? We give kid daca and parents go back? Is that evil government breaking up families? Just checking with you, who have morals that are apparently worth advertising. What about the huge incentive this creates for parents to bring kids here, or send with coyotes who rape some of the young girls on the way? Racist to bring that up? Those things are totally unrelated and separate? And when border patrol is so busy we can't catch half the drugs coming in, is it racist to bring that up? What about they're so busy and some terrorist gets through? No biggie? Worth the risk to allow generation after generation of daca kids to stay? Or maybe the idea of a terrorist coming across the border is a scare tactic? Yea that is crazy that would totally never happen! Racist to even think that!
Because as you say, there is a real human here, so it's an easy call.
2:03 you are a lawyer? You think the Declaration of Independence is a governing document for American immigration law? You think the line that "all men are created equal" means that non-citizens should not have to, in your words, "wait in line"?
My God the state of leftism today is pathetic and low IQ. To say nothing of the state of the Florida Bar if this is a lawyer posting. Liberals, defend yourselves. Please tell me that this is not the mainstream among you. You accuse us conservatives, in these very comment pages, of being racists and little Hitlers. Please tell me that you disavow anyone who thinks the Declaration of Independence means that all "equal" men the world over should be recognized as U.S. citizens.
I cannot fathom a rational adult who thinks it is mean or cruel to actually have borders around a republic and rules about crossing them, and humane penalties for breaking rules, as well as a process to cross and gain citizenship legally.
The leftist position, beyond screeching "NOT MY PRESIDENT" and "DAS RAYCISS" and "From occupied America Fight the Power!", has devolved into worrying that it is mean not to move the whole world into our borders. Lol.
Did you know as recently as the 90s the official position of the Sierra Club was to slow immigration, because of the environmental lunacy of overpopulating our country? Did you know as recently as the 90s it was a Democratic Party position to severely limit immigration because of the deleterious effects it has on the working class in this country? Did you know that politicians as contemporary as Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama once called for sealing the southern border?
But now, the leftist position is that it's mean not to open the gates. Don't worry about the Mexican economy. Don't worry about brain drain in the third world. Don't worry about environmental sustainability. Don't worry about our social welfare net strained to burst when the baby boomers retire. Just open the border! Amnesty violators! Don't be racist!
I saw a Miami lawyer just post on Facebook that 100% of DACA recipients have no felonies. Um, can you guess the source for that data? It is that, once you get a felony, you are no longer termed "DACA". So 100% of people with no felonies have no felonies. THAT is the level of intelligent thinking we are dealing with.
Lord, I am ashamed I used to identify as a Democrat and a liberal.
One thing about Trump and his hateful policies, He smokes out the little Heydrichs in our midst like 8:42 and 9:05. Enjoy your bitterness.
Didn't the Republicans shut down the government for nearly three weeks over Obamacare? No one has clean hands.
re Monday, January 22, 2018 12:11:00
"Immigration is not complicated. A grade-schooler can understand it. The US, like any republic, has only so much space in its territory and economy. Once you pass a certain threshold, it is detrimental to citizens to take in more immigrants."
The US has space for tens of millions of immigrants. Alaska, Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and most of central and north Florida, to name a few places.
Immigrants are the engine of economic and social growth. Immigrants buy homes, buy clothing, furnishings and appliances for their new homes, they buy vehicles, and start businesses, and buy computers and other office equipment. But most important, Immigrants bring their idea of what America is supposed to be, the land of opportunity, and the land of the free.
BTW, the legal profession is nothing but a protected guild, the antithesis of the American dream, just another form of protectionism. And where do the worst, washed-up lawyers go? Those who can't earn a living anymore? To the bench, unfortunately. It is a refutable presumption. Yes, there are a few exceptions, but too few to matter.
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free... and give me those from every shit-hole country that the US had a hand in creating or perpetuating...
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