Dem leaders vow ‘overwhelming’ opposition to Trump border wall

http://thehill.com/homenews/house/342786-dem-leaders-vow-overwhelming-to-oppose-trump-border-wall ^ | July 19, 2017 | Mike Lillis

[2ndDivisionVet]

House Democratic leaders on Wednesday offered a stern warning to Republicans hoping to put hundreds of millions of dollars toward President Trump’s border wall next year: You’re on your own.

“They know that the majority of the Democrats don’t support funding for that wall,” Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus, told reporters in the Capitol.

“If they choose to include it, then they are basically saying, ‘We have the votes among the Republican Party to pass this without a single Democratic vote.’ And if they’re not successful, the blame lies squarely at their feet, because they are in the majority.”

The threat has teeth, despite the Democrats’ minority status, because Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and other GOP leaders have struggled repeatedly to rally the 218 Republican votes needed to pass major government spending bills in the face of opposition from conservative deficit hawks in their own conference. As a result, Republican leaders have relied regularly on Democratic votes to pass those bills and prevent government shutdowns — a dynamic that’s given the Democrats plenty of leverage to dictate certain terms.

Democrats used that leverage in April, when Trump insisted on substantial new border wall funding in a 2017 omnibus bill, only to see it stripped out at the last minute. Democratic leaders are vowing to use that leverage again this summer, as the fight over 2018 border wall spending heats up.

“We intend to exercise it to keep that language out, to keep the money out,” said Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-N.Y.), chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, who characterized the border wall funding as “a gross, negligent waste of taxpayer dollars.”

“I won’t speak on behalf of all the Democratic Caucus … [but] I do think the overwhelming — overwhelming — majority of our membership are not interested in a single penny towards the wall.”

The Democrats’ remarks came a day after the House Appropriations Committee passed a 2018 funding bill governing the Homeland Security Department, which includes almost $1.6 billion to strengthen security at the U.S.-Mexico border. Only $498 million of that targets new wall construction — enough to extend the barrier roughly 28 miles through Texas’s Rio Grande Valley — with the bulk going toward new and secondary border fencing.

But Trump centered his successful campaign on promises to erect an imposing new wall along the entirety of the border — at Mexico’s expense — and after surrendering on the issue in the omnibus debate, he immediately threatened to take a harder line in the coming fight over 2018 funding.

“The reason for the plan negotiated between the Republicans and Democrats is that we need 60 votes in the Senate which are not there!” Trump tweeted three days before he signed the 2017 omnibus into law. “We either elect more Republican Senators in 2018 or change the rules now to 51%.

“Our country needs a good 'shutdown' in September to fix mess!”

It remains unclear whether the Democrats would swallow some new 2018 border security funding if it doesn’t go toward new wall construction, as they did in the omnibus. Meanwhile, they’re leaving little doubt where they stand on the wall itself.

“It’s a medieval solution to a modern-day problem that is destined to fail and it wastes precious resources that we need to conserve,” Sánchez said.

“If they’re going to add poison pills, they can’t be too upset with the result that they aren’t garnering Democratic votes.”

[tophat9000]

You Don't wanna wall because you don't want The US to have a border because you want Mexico to be given part of America you reconquesta bitch ...Your a traitor to the US ...If you're against the wall then lets put you up against the wall and have you shot

[antidemoncrat]

They will probably oppose everything Pres. Trump proposes to do.

[GreenHornet]

This is why we need to build the wall as soon as possible. Once built, every Democrat running for national office will run on the promise they will do whatever it takes to dismantle the wall. It will give the Democrats a losing issue to run on for the next several (if not more) election cycles..

[Arm_Bears]

That might mean something if the DIMS held the majority in the Senate.

[Arm_Bears]

and House.

[EdnaMode]

The wall will block illegals from coming in and cost the democrats votes.

[alloysteel]

Resist for the sake of resistance.

How much of this is just reflexive prejudice against Donald Trump, and how much is being fed by an underlying agenda that refuses to allow ANY control of the international border between the US and Mexico?

If there is a “race to the bottom”, apparently they do not think they have gotten there yet.

[sheehan]

The lines have been drawn - this is the biggest battle for the future of our country.

BUILD THE GODDAMN WALL NOW.

[TheConservativeTejano]

Any Republican who does NOT sign on to this bill should be marked for replacement. Treason needs to have a cost.

So many of us on this forum agree with ya 100%!!!

Paul Ryan is not going to be the next Speaker of the House!!!

Paul Ryan has opposed buiding a Southern Wall and we need so bad down here in Texas!!!

[calenel]

People keep stealing my tag line.

That’s okay!

[Sasparilla]

..... My god, when will the Rs grow a spine? ...

When they act like they have a spine when running for office, it suddenly turns to jelly when sworn in.

[Mariner]

Shut ‘er down.

Stand pat.

Dims will eventually beg to include it and get funding to their constituents ...govt workers of every stripe.

[Mariner]

“Any Republican who does NOT sign on to this bill should be marked for replacement.”

And, if they are so entrenched and well-funded that you cannot get them in the primary, vote for the Dim in the general.

Yes, treason MUST have a cost. And so far, it has not.

[Fiddlstix]

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To: GilGil

26 posted on 09/28/2016 9:56:22 AM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))

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To: Fiddlstix; MinuteGal

Good to see that old GIF [#26]. JimRob built it for me because I have used that thought for a tag line since the 90's... still do, obviously. A message that needs to be spread as broadly as possible - and Hildebeest is the epitome example!

70 posted on 09/29/2016 10:01:25 AM PDT by Bob Ireland (The Democrat Party is a criminal enterprise)

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To: Bob Ireland; jimrob; MinuteGal; All; FReepers

Thank you for the post. I had no idea where it came from or who made it. I found it while going thru old threads.
Thanks again

71 posted on 09/29/2016 10:23:23 AM PDT by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))

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To: Fiddlstix; Bob Ireland

Amen. I can’t believe we have millions of idiot democrat voters willing to allow the Clinton crime family back into the White House. Especially Hillary. Bill was a useful idiot, but Hillary is a true believer. And a totally evil God-hating, America-hating, capitalism-hating wannabe Marxist/fascist totalitarian. God help us.

72 posted on 09/29/2016 11:25:57 AM PDT by Jim Robinson (Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God!)

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The Copy Of Previous Posts Will Explain. That Tagline Was First Used By FReeper Bob Ireland. Bob Has Been Here Since 1997. Jim Robinson Himself Made The AniGif Graphic. It has been Used Many Times Over The Years By Many FReepers.

BTW, All The Links From Those Clips Are Clickable. Everything Works As Normal

[Jim Noble]

OK, good.

Please dear Lord, make them explain every time they open their mouths WHY they are so opposed to the wall, and where they stand on enforcing the People’s laws.

[calenel]

LOL. Well, okay, then!

[arthurus]

I wonder if they mean to blow up sections of the wall as they are built. Surely they think about that. They would do it, I think, if it can be done so that they believe it will be attributed to the illegals themselves or Antifa or to Indignant Mexicans.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Or the Russians.

[arthurus]

A spine is only relevant for Republicans who are not totally in agreement with and subservient to the Chamber of Commerce which provides the largest portions of their incomes. When we vote we are privileged to elect representatives of the Chamber. For those of you who cry, “Primary them!” you are deluded. Better than three quarters of successful actions become Chamber of Commerce agents as soon as they reach DC.

[dogcaller]

Build the darn wall and fund it out of the defense or black budget as a national security imperative. Recover the costs by administratively charging a fee on all remittances to Mexico.