Current Events > Democrats propose more $ for border security to avoid funding standoff

(+) Yeah! (+)

http://www.cnn.com/2017/04/24/politics/democrats-border-wall-funding-standoff/index.html

Top congressional Democrats have strongly pushed back against approving any money for President Donald Trump's proposed border wall with Mexico as part of a must-pass government funding bill.

At the same time, Democratic leaders restated their openness Monday to providing some money for other types of border security improvements, suggesting a possible way out of the contentious standoff.

Facing a Friday deadline to keep the government open, congressional and administration negotiators are searching for ways to resolve their differences over what was a central campaign promise of Trump's. Notably, Republicans on the Hill and many top White House officials are not outright demanding that a down payment on the border wall -- which could cost tens of billions of dollars over time -- be made now.

Providing some money for border security -- personnel or equipment designed to crack down on illegal crossings -- but not for the wall itself, could provide a face-saving way for both sides to end for now their dispute on the issue and could clear the way for the massive government bill to pass both chambers ahead of Friday.

For instance, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin speaking in the White House briefing room Monday declined to say if the President would insist on border wall funding in a final bill saying only that "the President is working hard to keep the government open and addressing various issues."

And when Press Secretary Sean Spicer was asked if Trump specifically expected there to be funding for the border wall in the funding bill, he didn't lay down the gauntlet and instead replied, "I don't want to get ahead of the negotiations they are ongoing. But the President's priorities have been very clear from the beginning."

Knowing they face unified opposition to the wall by Democrats, Republicans in the administration may now be getting the message that even Hill GOP members have been telegraphing throughout the negotiations -- it's not worth risking a shut down over the controversial issue.

"It is a divisive issue," Rep. Mike Coffman, a Republican from a swing district in Colorado, said in an interview on CNN. "I certainly support securing the border but I also support keeping the government open and I think this would cause the kind of showdown that would lead to a shutdown."

Despite these signals of a willingness to compromise by GOP negotiators, the President may be undermining their efforts -- or at least sending mixed messages -- by blasting out tweets, touting the wall.

"The Wall is a very important tool in stopping drugs from pouring into our country and poisoning our youth (and many others)! If the wall is not built, which it will be, the drug situation will NEVER be fixed the way it should be!" Trump wrote Monday on Twitter.

A senior Democratic aide familiar with the negotiations complained that the two sides on Capitol Hill continue to make progress, but Trump administration officials are the ones interjecting and holding things up, refusing to respond to an offer from Democrats on Capitol Hill to accept a package that includes more money for border security efforts, but does not include any resources to construct a wall.

Given that the GOP has majorities in both houses, I'm curious what role the Democrats even play here? Are we just operating with an implied filibuster on this?
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Nobody told the president that the GOP has a majority in both houses. Shhhh, don't tell him.

So, uh, seriously, are Democrats just pre-emptively giving Republicans what they want, or
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whitewimmin posted...

Are we just operating with an implied filibuster on this?

Yes.

The ballsy move would be for the house to pass a budget, the senate republicans to all co-sponsor (or whatever), and Trump to publicly endorse it. Then, it's entirely up to the democrats to brickwall, and blame the republicans anyway.

What happened to

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/330186-bipartisan-lawmakers-call-for-clean-spending-bill-with-no-border-wall-funding#

?

A clean spending bill everyone was happy with but Trump

Ampelas posted...

What happened to

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/330186-bipartisan-lawmakers-call-for-clean-spending-bill-with-no-border-wall-funding#

?

A clean spending bill everyone was happy with but Trump

Bipartisanship happened.
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Antifar posted...

So, uh, seriously, are Democrats just pre-emptively giving Republicans what they want, or

Gotta be the adult in the room, and give the screaming toddler whatever it wants, so you get praised on the Sunday shows.

byron posted...

Questionmarktarius posted...

Then, it's entirely up to the democrats to brickwall, and blame the republicans anyway.

hmm sounds familiar

Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

The only real exception, is that a budget impasse is pretty much always blamed on republicans, regardless of who's the majority party.