Let me see how my opinions compare to the polls: 1) Blame most for shutdown - Equally. No choice really here really reflects my opinion. Democrats are only $5 billion from an agreement; Republications are only a $5 Billion or a wall away from an agreement. Secretly, I want Trump to expand the shutdown to include removing Obama-era regulations that Democrat friendly businesses have benefitted from, such as environmental engineering companies and certain educational companies. More on this below. 2) Declare a national emergency to build wall - No way. A national emergency declaration should only be used in cases where decisive action would likely reduce chances of substantial loss of life, extreme property damage over a wide area, or substantial economic harm. Even if the House Democrats were the minority, I would still want some of their votes and would hope there would be a way make a trade in some other low contested area for Democratic cooperation, aka “the carrot” or full war mode, AKA “the stick” where those Democratic interests that conflict with sound national policy are relentlously attacked and dismantled. As I am thinking of this, hell, this is what the Republicans should do anyway. This is what we hired Trump to do in the first place. 3) Border situation is a - Serious problem, but not a crisis. I see it a serious enough problem to be a priority in addressing. If this leads to a Government shutdown for two plus years, then so be it. If this ultimately leads to a smaller Federal Government and corresponding smaller Federal budget, then Hallelujah! I would hope any displaced Goverment workers could be absorbed into the private sector while demand for employees is still apparently high. 4). Build a wall - Yes, of course. Duh. I agree with Trump using the budget negotiations as a tool for attempting to get the wall funded. However, I would hope that the issue of an overreaching Federal Government and bloated spending are sincerely addressed as well.
Congress has sent Trump bills to fund the government,he refuses to sign them, so the shutdown is all on him.
Works for me. Probably works for you and your polls, too. If you agree with this statement, we can say an agreement can actually be reached by the Right and the Left! I hope, and can accept even further polarization of the electorate, if possible, Trump holds firm on his wall and starts cutting wasteful Governments spending as may be necessary if no agreement on Government funding is reached.
An agreement on what, funding a wall? I highly doubt this House, as much as it was elected on a repudiation of Trumpism, would fund a wall without a major concession for a democrat priority. You have to understand Trump is basically holding hostages, for the sake of integrity of our democratic system the House, as body, cannot give in.
Fair enough. Taxpayers on the surface save 5 billion, probably more with no wall. In addition, should this partial shutdown end up expanding, perhaps it will force extreme emergency choices to be made on spending that will help bring some sanity back to bloated US Government spending.
***** NEW POLL ****** Quinnipiac Jan 14 Whos to blame? Trump 56% Dems 36% Build a wall No-55 Yes-43 Shut down the government to force funding for the wall No-62 Yes-32 https://www.courant.com/politics/ca...0190114-ofbu3m4645al3pj5nfp5ipnu7y-story.html Q Poll: More voters blame Trump and Republicans for shutdown A Quinnipiac University Poll released Monday found more Americans blame President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress for the government shutdown, which is in its 24th day. The survey found 56 percent of voters say Trump and Republicans are responsible for the shutdown while 36 percent blame Democrats. The two sides have reached an impasse over Trump’s request for $5 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. “'Mr. President, it’s on you,’ voters say about the government shutdown, blaming President Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans more than Democrats,” said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll. In a separate question, 62 percent of voters opposed shutting down the government to force funding for the wall, with 32 percent in favor. Republicans were the only group who supported a shutdown. About two-thirds of voters disapprove of Trump using executive powers to fund the wall. On the issue of the wall itself, 55 percent of voters oppose building a wall along the Mexican border while 43 percent are in favor. But voters agree, by a margin of 54-43 percent, that there is a security crisis along the Mexican border and, by a margin of 68-26 percent, that there is a humanitarian crisis there. “While they believe there is both a humanitarian and a security crisis along the southern border, they absolutely don’t think a wall will solve the problem," Malloy said. The poll surveyed 1,209 voters nationwide from Jan. 9-13 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percent.