Like these?
Posted on 01/24/2019 8:25:14 PM PST by be-baw
Frustrated GOP senators read Vice President Pence the riot act at a closed-door meeting Thursday, telling him the partial government shutdown needs to end soon, according to lawmakers in the room.
Republican senators, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), warned the vice president that prolonging the shutdown is not a smart political strategy, in hopes of sending a clear message to President Trump that he needs to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.
Lawmakers vented their irritation to Pence shortly before six GOP senators defected to vote for a Democratic-backed bill that would open the government without funding Trump’s proposed border wall.
One GOP senator said lawmakers told Pence “the shutdown needs to come to an end, this is not a strategy that works [and] we never should have had a shutdown in the first place.”
Pence in turn told them that “the president is interested in striking a deal,” according to the source.
The pushback against Pence came from outspoken critics of the shutdown like Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), as well as from lawmakers who usually keep a lower profile — Sens. John Boozman (Ark.), Johnny Isakson (Ga.) and Jerry Moran (Kan.).
One of the most remarkable moments during the Senate luncheon came when McConnell told Pence that shuttering the government to try to secure funding for a border wall was not a smart approach.
“McConnell talked about how we need to bring this process to a close; we should never have had a shutdown; they don’t work; I’ve said this numerous times; I don’t know how many times I’ve told you there’s no education in the second kick of a mule,” said a GOP source familiar with the meeting.
A spokesman for McConnell declined to comment on specific conversations during the private lunch but noted that the Kentucky Republican made his thoughts about a potential government shutdown clear in mid-December.
“I think that a government shutdown is not a good option. That’s my view. The American people don’t like it,” the GOP leader told reporters on Dec. 18, four days before funding lapsed. “You remember my favorite country saying, ‘There’s no education in the second kick of a mule.’ We’ve been down this path before.”
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) said after Thursday’s meeting but before the Senate votes that colleagues were “airing their concerns.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) told reporters after the Senate votes that Pence got an “earful” from senators.
“We’re all hearing from our constituents who are working for no pay,” Cornyn said. “And there’s a parade of horribles of how people who are having to cope with not getting paid, and it’s not good.”
“There was a lot of frustration expressed about the situation we find ourselves in,” he added.
Pence urged Republican lawmakers at the lunch to stay unified, pressing them not to vote for the proposal from Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (N.Y.) to fund the government until Feb. 8 without additional funding for a border wall, according to the GOP source familiar with the meeting.
To underscore the stern message they sent to Pence, six Republicans — Murkowski, Isakson and Sens. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.), Susan Collins (Maine), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) — voted for the Democratic proposal. But the 52-44 vote fell short of the 60 needed to advance the bill.
Murkowski said after the votes that she told Pence the shutdown has to end as quickly as possible.
“I reminded colleagues that I was feeling a very keen sense of urgency on this because Alaska has the highest number of federal workers that are impacted by the partial shutdown and we needed to get this open now,” said Murkowski, who is supporting a measure with Democratic Sens. Ben Cardin (Md.) and Chris Van Hollen (Md.) that would reopen the government for three weeks without providing wall funding.
Isakson’s spokeswoman, Amanda Maddox, said her boss "spoke to his colleagues at today’s lunch to share his reasoning for voting the way he planned.”
“He didn’t know the vice president would be at today’s lunch when he decided on making the speech,” Maddox said. “He wasn’t trying to send any message but was merely speaking his conscience.”
The feckless GOP never misses a chance to seize defeat from the jars of victory.
Aaaannnnnd, whatta ya know! Mitt voted with the dems! I’m shocked!
Yes, all the usual suspects. McConnell is, of course, highly suspect to cave, traitorous garbage that he is. I figured Murky Cow Skis would be one of the mouths, along with Susan Collins, etc.
The GOP-e is horrible — claiming to support values and constitutional provisions while subverting or undermining them so often. GOP- e stands for Gross Obfuscatory Perverters’ Establishment. Needs to be replaced ASAP
I WISH I could send an email to my Senator...but he is SCHUMER!!! I'd have a better use of my time teaching the alphabet to the ants.
Like these?
The stupid party...again.
Yet the assholes don’t vent anger at Pelosi and Schumer. FK the GOP. And I mean FK THEM ALL! Republicans are not only cowards, they are - like the Democrats - an existential threat to this Republic. May their house burn to the ground.
Actually, at some not to distant point, the American people will, out of necessity, have to take matters into their own hands, and rid ourselves of these ass clowns - EVERY. LAST. ONE.
Amen
Hey lame Senators,. I really really really like the stutdown as leverage for a wall and I think it’s a great strategy. What I think is a bad strategy is you Republicans getting hood winked by the Democrats as usual you loser idiots!
And btw, a Senate luncheon? Brown bag or Burger King not good enough for y'all? I think the real problems just spoke up.
The “never Trumper senators” who are loyal only to the establishment pile on knowing if there is no wall, there will be no Re-election of Trump in 2020. The establishment pukes in DC are already calling Trump “a failed president”. National Emergency Mr President, pay for the damned wall out of the military budget and just call it a done deal.
“Our Side” - Objection! Assumes facts not in evidence.
Nice but waste of time
“We’re all hearing from our constituents who are working for no pay,” Cornyn said. “And there’s a parade of horribles of how people who are having to cope with not getting paid, and it’s not good.”
Oh, so his constituents are the damned fedgov UNION workers, eh? The ones who are actually getting a paid vacation? And what about the rest of us non-beltway Americans who want our borders secured? What about those “constituents,” Senator Coryn? - You clueless asshole!
Four eunuchs - and two front holes
There are hardly any people up there. How the hell would they have the highest? What kind of useless eaters are we stacking up there and why would they all be there?
I think you are on to drug cartel connection that is lining our representative’s pockets. I listened to Ted Cruz speak on the need to fund the Coast Guard. Schumer objected to the vote and the issue of corruption in the Senate came up. They know.
I’m frustrated, too. President Trump has empowered the traitors within the Republican Party by not issuing the EO to begin the wall. When Nancy Pelosi said she was going to cancel the State of the Union address, she did it!
These gutless eunuchs are enough to make one wretch!
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