1. 70% of folks in the United States live paycheck to paycheck. While it is really important to save for emergencies, most folks don't. Moreover, many folks do not earn enough money to do so. As it is, a $2,000 car repair can be financially devastating to a lot of folks. There are a LOT of folks on this forum who would find it very difficult to suddenly go with zero income for a month. For that reason alone, shutting 800,000 folks out of work over a political squabble is beyond disgraceful.
2. The "wall" is NOT a national emergency. If it were one, it would have been built long ago, or our country would have collapsed long before Trump became president. $5.6B is a lot of money, but not in the grand scheme of the U.S. Budget. We've wasted more than that in national budgets before.
3. At any time during negotiations, the following folks/groups could have gotten the government re-opened:
* Trump. All he had to do was give up on the "wall."
* Pelosi, Schumer: If they had agreed to the "wall" the government could have opened.
* McConnell: Had he stopped kissing Trump's hindquarters earlier, he could have rallied enough Republicans to pass a budget without Trump's signature.
* The entire Senate: Schumer tried to work around McConnell to get votes on bills. Had the Senate voted to bring bills to the floor anyhow, they could have circumvented McConnell and past bills anyhow.
4. The fact of the matter is that Trump trapped himself politically by demanding a wall - something that is not well-supported by other republicans (notice it did not pass when the GOP controlled both Houses the last two years). Moreover, the Democrats trapped themselves as well, leaving no room to give a little during negotiations. The U.S. political system only works if folks are willing to compromise. However, we are so divided right now that anybody who compromises is seen as weak. This is not good. Neither party can dictate policy, so, either we compromise or we all lose. This time 800,000 federal employees and their families got their butts kicked. Trump got "embarrassed." Democrats are celebrating. I find this sickening. Moreover, what happens in three weeks?
My suggestion: The next time that the government shuts down, every member of the legislature, the president, and all White House senior staff must eat all their meals at local soup kitchens until the shutdown is over. Their salaries, in the meantime, can be donated to their local soup kitchens to make sure that needs are met. I'd be my shirt that they'd find a compromise really quickly if *they* had to suffer the consequences of their political bickering.
#Rant Over: I needed that.
Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/27/2019 10:20PM by MFJohnston.