You have commented 339 times on Rantburg.

Your Name
Your e-mail (optional)
Website (optional)
My Original Nic        Pic-a-Nic        Sorry. Comments have been closed on this article.
Bold Italic Underline Strike Bullet Blockquote Small Big Link Squish Foto Photo
Submit your comments on this article
Government
Government Shuts Down Over Border Wall Impasse
2018-12-22
[PJ] WASHINGTON -- The federal government shut down for the third time in 2018 over the border wall appropriations impasse, with both parties blaming each other and one House office branding it "the nightmare before Christmas."

It's the first time since 1977 that the government has closed over a budget dispute three times in a year.

With several senators not yet back in Washington, Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote for the Senate to begin consideration of the House bill that provides more than $5 billion for a border wall.

Senators vowed to not vote on a bill until there's an agreement between leaders. The House adjourned Friday and was not planning to come back for Saturday votes.
Schumer Shutdownâ„¢
"Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done! Our Country is counting on you!" President Trump tweeted.

Despite Trump's Twitter pleas for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) to deploy the nuclear option that would do away with the 60-vote cloture threshold, McConnell made clear on the Senate floor Friday evening that "any eventual solution will require 60 votes here in the Senate."

"It’s been clear that from the beginning that two things are necessary: The support from enough Senate Democrats to pass the proposal at 60, and a presidential signature," he said. "As a result, the Senate has voted to proceed to the legislation before us in order to preserve maximum flexibility for productive conversations to continue between the White House and our Democratic colleagues."

"I hope Senate Democrats will work with the White House on an agreement that can pass both houses of Congress and receive the president’s signature," McConnell added. "So, colleagues, when an agreement is reached, it will receive a vote here on the Senate floor."

David Popp, McConnell’s communications director, said in a statement earlier that McConnell "has said for years that the votes are not there in the Conference to use the nuclear option -- just this morning, several senators put out statements confirming their opposition, and confirming that there is not a majority in the conference to go down that road."

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) in a joint statement said the president "threw a temper tantrum and convinced House Republicans to push our nation into a destructive Trump Shutdown in the middle of the holiday season."
Posted by:Besoeker

#8  Aren't most government employees Democrats? This is actually kind of clever. I wonder what percent of the newly 'unemployed' voted for HRC?
Posted by: Beau   2018-12-22 22:09  

#7  Ask and ye shall receive. From An Nahar:

About three-quarters of the government, including the military and the Department of Health and Human Services, is fully funded until the end of September 2019, leaving 25 percent unfunded as of Saturday.

Most NASA employees will be sent home, as will Commerce Department workers and many at the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Agriculture and State.

National parks will remain open, but most park staff will stay home while Washington is unable to accomplish one of its most basic tasks -- keeping the government up and running.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-12-22 22:04  

#6  As I understand it, much of the government has already been funded and therefore will not shut down.
Posted by: trailing wife   2018-12-22 17:36  

#5  The only people to get screwed are the troops. That will go over well, given something like 2/3rd of government spending is automatic. (do I need to put a /sarc on that?)
Posted by: Procopius2k   2018-12-22 17:30  

#4  "I don't understand the issue here."

The issue is that much of the GOPe doesn't want the wall any more than the Dims want it.

The good news is that this is a stare down Trump can win. Shutter the gov for 6 months and see what happens. People will get on with their lives. The worst possible outcome for the Dims and GOPe is that people realize that they aren't needed.
Posted by: Iblis   2018-12-22 14:22  

#3  Unlike Obamacare, which passed with majority vote, this is a budget item to fund the already approved wall. Budget items are approved with a majority vote. I don't understand the issue here.
Posted by: KBK   2018-12-22 13:22  

#2  
McConnel was gutless in allowing a voice vote instead of demanding a roll call

If he did that by his free choice, he is showing he is on the other side.
Posted by: Anguper Hupomosing9418   2018-12-22 09:40  

#1  Democrats in the Senate shut the government down.

That should be the headline. If they would simply allow the vote, it would pass.

McConnel was gutless in allowing a voice vote instead of demanding a roll call to put all these Democrats on record as favoring a shutdown and opposing funding for the wall.
Posted by: Injun Bucket8891   2018-12-22 09:37  

00:00