Trump's big plan to divide Democrats ends in humiliating defeat
Trump’s latest scheme to end his own government shutdown just blew up in his face.
The White House’s attempt to sow seeds of discord among House Democrats has failed spectacularly in yet another humiliating defeat for Trump.
Hoping to divide House Democrats, who are united in their determination to reopen the government, Trump invited a handful of the most conservative Democrats to a meeting to discuss his obsession with a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. But every single member rejected the invitation outright.
Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA), co-chair of the conservative Blue Dog Caucus, was one of the House members to snub Trump’s summons.
“Congressman Correa welcomes the opportunity to talk with the President about border security, as soon as the government is reopened,” his spokesperson told Roll Call.
Throughout the course of the Trump shutdown, Democrats have remained united in their desire to reopen the government without paying Trump’s $5 billion ransom for a border wall.
On her first day as House speaker, Nancy Pelosi passed legislation to end the Trump shutdown. In the days and weeks since, the House Democratic majority has passed several bills to reopen the government, but Senate Majority Mitch McConnell has refused to even hold a vote on any of them.
Trump, who regularly lies about virtually everything, claimed without evidence that Democrats are calling him and offering to help end the shutdown. That claim was met with laughter and ridicule by Rep. Jackie Spear (D-CA).
“There’s not a Democrat that I’m aware of, in the House, that would have called the President to say, ‘I want to work with you and I want this wall to go up,'” Spier told CNN.
“There’s not a Democrat that wants to see five billion dollars wasted,” she added.
When it came time for Trump to show off all the Democrats who supposedly wanted to help him build a wall, the White House was unable to get even a single member to meet with Trump.
Meanwhile, some vulnerable Republican senators are publicly breaking with Trump and his key henchman, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Colorado’s Cory Gardner and Maine’s Susan Collins, both up for re-election in 2020, have made tepid public statements supporting an end to the Trump shutdown even without money for a wall.
On Monday, after Trump rejected yet another proposal to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history, Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski responded by asking, “Well, then Mr. President when are you going to help us open the government?”
Instead of trying to divide Democrats, Trump would be better served listening to the voices across the political spectrum who are sick and tired of his political games. Polls regularly show voters blame Trump and his Republican enablers for shutting down the government. After 25 days, Trump still refuses to work toward a bipartisan solution.
Trump, and his accomplice McConnell, have the power to end the shutdown whenever they choose. If he continues to try to find division among the Democratic majority, he’ll just run into a big blue wall.
And it’s the only wall Trump will ever see.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
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