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This is an outstanding article on the consequence of compromising with the Republicans.
The US government has a policy to not negotiate with terrorists. Why? Because once the terrorists get something in one deal, they will keep repeating it to get more and more.
Same with negotiating with Trump and the Republicans. If they get what they want from the shut-down, they will keep shutting down the government to get what they want.
Much of the news coverage of the government shutdown has implicitly communicated an argument: Yes, President Trump may bear the blame for starting it, but Democrats have a responsibility to rescue him from his blunder. And since Trump’s need to collect a “win” from the shutdown is taken as a given, Democrats must therefore contemplate what they are willing to give up in order to reopen the government. The Washington Post editorial board and one of its columnists, Joe Davidson, both argue that Democrats must think of the greater good and the humanitarian damage from the shutdown and give Trump something so he agrees to end it.
“What we did learn is this — it’s a hostage that’s worth ransoming,” explained Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. Drawing on this lesson, Republicans in 2013 staged another debt-ceiling hostage threat and a federal government shutdown in order to compel Obama to hand over various policy concessions. It was only when Obama signaled his refusal to be extorted, correcting his earlier error, that Republicans gave up on the tactic. But even if Trump somehow walks this tightrope, and finds an immigration deal acceptable to both sides he can use as a face-saving gesture, he will almost certainly draw from it the same lesson McConnell took from the 2011 debt-ceiling negotiation. It is a hostage worth ransoming. If Trump extracts a win from his shutdown, he will immediately start plotting out his demands for the next one.
Looks like some need a history lesson again, as I wrote in another thread:
"We must recall ancient history: on December 20, 2018, the United States Senate passed a bill to fund the government, for a while (continuing resolution), by a tally of 100-0. Even Mitch voted for it.
After the vote, during the late afternoon, President Trump tweeted this:
"With so much talk about the Wall, people are losing sight of the great job being done on our Southern Border by Border Patrol, ICE and our great Military. Remember the Caravans? Well, they didn’t get through and none are forming or on their way. Border is tight. Fake News silent!"
So, what happened? Limbaugh and Coulter threw a fit about the lack of funding for a wall.
Hence, realizing that his 'base' did not want to hear about a 'tight border', Mr. Trump instantly changed his mind, said he would not sign the bill, and demanded money for the wall. He even told Shumer that he would take all responsibility for the shutdown.
Now, instead of a 'tight border', Mr. Trump is claiming a crises at the same border.
So, Mr. Trump is not to be trusted. Recall the 100-0 vote. If the Democrats 'cave', and give him money specifically for a wall, what will Mr. Trump demand when the continuing resolution expires?"
The flip side is that if Trump trusts the Democrats, like Reagan did in on the amnesty deal in 1986, he'll get screwed like Reagan did. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever to believe otherwise. Dems made their own bed. Now they're complaining about about having to lie in it.
The flip side is that if Trump trusts the Democrats, like Reagan did in on the amnesty deal in 1986, he'll get screwed like Reagan did. There's absolutely no reason whatsoever to believe otherwise. Dems made their own bed. Now they're complaining about about having to lie in it.
What bed? Taking the house AFTER the shutdown started with conservatives in control of the legislative and executive branches?
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