Just declare the national emergency and get this over with...order the wall built with all haste...once it is up, it cannot be “defunded” - it is there, unlike other so-called “security measures” that could be eliminated a day later. There would be ruckus and screams if that was done but once the wall is being built and has been built it would be ho-hum with people wondering what the big deal was to begin with.
The media of course has fed the false narrative that the Republicans shut down the government - no, the Democrats used procedural moves to keep the bill from even getting a vote - a bill fully funding the government had passed the House, likely would have passed the Senate (with Pence tie-breaker), then signed by the President - the government would not be shut down, the so-called “controversial” wall would not be controversial (because it never was) and none of this would be happening. But the media isn’t reporting that. Virtually no one in this country knows that is what caused the government to originally shut down - Chuck Schumer and his caucus not even allowing the bill to be voted on that indeed, fully funded the government. That doesn’t excuse establishment spinelessness, but that doesn’t diminish how outrageous it is to intentionally misinform the public as to what the truth is, either.
Caving now would be a total disaster - the narrative would not just be that Trump caved, but that the government was literally shut down for nothing for over a month if we get nothing at all - and that would be true.
The Republican establishment will get everything they want. Trump forced into humiliating backdown. No Wall. And 2020 going to the Democrazies.
“Just declare the national emergency and get this over with...order the wall built with all haste...once it is up, it cannot be “defunded” - it is there, unlike other so-called “security measures” that could be eliminated a day later.”
I would add: Declare the National Emergency AND commence the RIF.
The RIF would pay for the wall.