Posted on 01/19/2018 8:01:47 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum
WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats, showing remarkable solidarity on Friday in the face of a clear political danger, blocked consideration of a stopgap spending measure to keep the government operating, leaving less than two hours for lawmakers to find a way to avert a midnight shutdown of much of the federal government.
Senate Republican leaders fell well short of the 60 votes necessary to proceed on the spending bill, which had passed the House on Thursday. Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, was trying to rally support for a shorter temporary spending measure that would allow both parties to save face.
But even if the Senate adopted such a bill, it would also have to pass the House. With time running out, at least a short shutdown appeared inevitable.
The 10 p.m. vote came after a day of budget brinkmanship in Washington that included a last-minute negotiating session between President Trump and Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. The 90-minute meeting produced progress, both men said, but no deal. Just hours later, it appeared to collapse.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Schumer trying to call it the Trump shutdown.
Evil man.
Twitter is trying to push this as well. No way, this is #SchumerShutdown
Do congress and staff still get paid?
pluz - the Feds only need to cut costs by 10% and they run positive cash flow.
It’s a common everyday activity in the productive sector of the economy. It’s nuthn’
I’m overseas and rely on Armed Forces Network (AFN) and the Schumer shut down has stated on all channels. “Due to the government shutdown, AFN services are not available. Dems sticking to us in the military.
LOL now that will trigger the snowflakes who think that money just appears out of nowhere, magically.
The Slimes got the memo..
changed that headline...
Frickin Propagandists.
Shumer is in a completely safe Senate seat. He is absolutely indifferent to any consequence
Five Democrats voted for the budget bill. Five Republicans voted against it, though McConnell's "no" vote was just so he could bring it up for consideration again and not because he was against it. So it looks like neither side were in lockstep.
How?
Yes.
Im really PO’d
I heard Paul and Lee also voted “Nay”...some would say they voted their conscience because they knew it wouldn’t pass anyway and I say they should have voted “Yea” because it wasn’t going to pass anyway - that would have left not even a smidgen of doubt it is all on the Dems heads...
Can't expect Congress and its minions to be restrained by the same laws as the rest of us, can you?
There are several things now in play, and a few "options" now "available" to Trump. I am 100% certain he know these and will use them to his advantage.
1. The media is going to go ballistic on Trump, saying he mi-spoke that the military will "shutdown." They think they can corner him with rhetoric because the US military is the ONE Federal agency that really matter. Watch them try to mislead the public, and say that "funding doesn't stop" and the "military is not being hurt." It is being hurt, not only by the shutdown, but by the Continuing Resolutions (CRs) that the military has been force to operate under because there is no, and has been no, budget.
2. During a shutdown, Trump's options are hindered, but also multiplied in some ways. The military (and those Federal civilians deemed "essential") will work without pay. BUT - he as head of the Executive Branch will have wide latitude regarding which agencies do what - and this is his biggest ace. Watch what he does, and how he does it. Garbage agencies (EEOC, HUD, Dept of Education, EPA, etc.) should not only be not funded, they should be hurt. Those that do work and do good and have many employees and a mission loyal to the Constitution (DoD, Border Patrol, DHS) should be managed and assisted.
3. If the military is to be paid during the shutdown, that will require Congressional approval, but that was done in 2013 with a simple paragraph. I know, I saw it. Ryan and McConnell can draft one up and have a vote - and anyone who votes against it can be nailed to the wall politically.
4. Don't listen to the rabid wolves that want to punish ALL Federal employees. Not only does this not help our cause (Liberty, the Constitution, the military, bringing the guilty to justice), their salaries are budget dust compared to the grand scheme of things. Moreover, it makes us look petty and childish. Many Federal employees do good work. To the Orcs cheering their demise, cut it out and get over it.
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5. You will hear the word (in the media and blogs) that certain Federal civilians are deemed "Nonessential." That isn't the word used anymore. There are two categories: "Excepted" and "Non-Excepted." They mean the same thing as essential and nonessential. But don't get caught up in this. Even in agencies, the distinction is VERY arbitrary. A very good person doing good work may be put into the wrong category. Chaos reigns during this process. It is what it is.
6. Washington DC (especially Congress) is where Drama Queens excel. ALL OF THIS IS DRAMA.
7. I don't think the main thing motivating the Democrats is simply immigration. I think they fear much else. DACA is an excuse. Harming the military (and preventing their protection) may be a real aim. So is an attempt at slowing justice.
True enough but in the last analysis.......gaining more power and seats in 2018 is at the
tippity-top of the list. The sweat beads of desperation on their foreheads is quite evident.
The Democrats committed treason, murder, and now sedition.
Soon, thirty million Americans will come to Congress
with pitchforks and end this travesty.
Conservatives have shown them selves to be apathetic and downright lazy when it comes to activism.
It will not happen
True - but as I warned before on this forum, the Tax Law will hurt us regarding the 34 GOP House Republicans in states where this was punative.
I have never seen the Federal Government take such a stand as to hurt millions of Americans. If you want people on your side, don't make them spend thousands of dollars (right after the holidays no less) in order to try to avoid being screwed by the IRS. And we are rewarding Apple, Google, and Facebook at the expense of hard working Americans? This was POLITICAL MADNESS.
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