On Thursday McConnell finally allowed a clean bill to open the government to be voted on, but first he presented Trump's frankenstein version of a bill that included nearly $6 billion for a small piece of his vanity wall, a vanity wall that will make many of his criminal cronies much wealthier. The only Democrat to vote for the Trump/McConnell bill was, predictably, Joe Manchin. On the other hand 6 Republicans (+ Manchin) voted for the Democratic bill-- Lamar Alexander (TN), Susan Collins (ME), Cory Gardner (CO), Johnny Isakson (GA), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and Mitt Romney (UT).36 days in and public opinion overwhelmingly blaming Trump and the GOP-- are Republicans wavering? The airline industry is warning that people are beginning to cancel flights for safety concerns. Yesterday LaGuardia shut down and the FAA reported that traffic going in and out of Philadelphia International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport was in trouble. Trump had nothing to say about the growing problem at the airports, about the hit the economy is taking because of his shutdown; all he was obsessed with yesterday was how Mueller was closing in on his closest associates and his family and how it would soon reach him.With no one paying attention to the country's problems, McConnell told Pence at lunch on Thursday that the White House had better end the shutdown and fast. Alexander Bolton reported that "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 (AR), Johnny Isakson (GA) and Jerry Moran (KS).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-TX) 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 (NY) to fund the government until Feb. 8 without additional funding for a border wall, according to the GOP source familiar with the meeting.
Moments later 6 Republicans did just that, a not too subtle message too Pence, Trump and the White House aide running this shit show, racist neo-Nazi Stephen Miller. Pelosi asked Ted Lieu to deliver the Weekly Democratic Address. I bet Trump's handlers diverted him with fast food or something shiny to keep him away from the radio. "Right now," began Lieu, "the federal government under Donald Trump is partially shut down. No civilized nation on earth shuts down its own government. I’m going explain how we got here, how the shutdown affects you, and how we re-open government."
It’s pretty simple how we got here. In fact, it’s all captured on videotape. Last month, Trump told the American people, quote, ‘I will take the mantle. I will be the one to shut it down.’ End quote.No President of the United States should ever be proud of shutting down our government. But Trump carried out his threat to shut down government. And he was enabled by Republicans in the House and the Senate.This shutdown started during a time of unified Republican control of the federal government: the White House, the Senate, and the House. Democrats inherited this shutdown from Republicans.And the effects of the Trump Shutdown are severe, harmful, and dangerous. There are some government jobs where we want full staffing and do not want the employee to be tired, stressed out and desperate because one mistake can be fatal.Air Traffic Controllers, who help keep the flying public safe, are not getting paid and are under increasing pressure to work multiple jobs. Or, they’ve simply to quit to get another job in order to make ends meet.The National Air Traffic Controllers Association issued a dire warning, saying that they cannot even calculate the level of risk currently at play, nor predict the point at which their entire system will break.As a result of the Trump Shutdown, there have been fewer food inspections, fewer inspections of planes, and the inability of the Consumer Products Commission to respond to unsafe product warnings.“The shutdown has particularly impacted the Department of Homeland Security, which is charged with keeping Americans safe.Our Border Patrols agents, TSA personnel, and Coast Guard members are all working without pay. Some have had to use food banks to feed their family; some are working multiple jobs to make ends meet; and some will need to quit because they cannot sustain working without a paycheck.The financial crunch doesn’t just impact federal workers. It impacts the landlords that can’t collect rent from furloughed renters; the small business owners who can’t get their permits from federal agencies; and the individuals who can’t get in touch with the IRS to work out payment plans.The shutdown is also hurting our economy. Nearly 400 trade associations and chambers of commerce have said the shutdown is causing significant damage to families, businesses and the economy. Recently, the White House’s top economic advisor admitted that the US economy may show zero economic growth this quarter.Now, how do we stop Trump and the Republicans from continuing to inflict harm on the American people? The Democratic position has been straightforward, consistent, and reasonable: Re-open government. Negotiate a deal.Democrats will never allow Trump and the Republicans to use the harm of a government shutdown as a negotiating tactic. Because if we do, then Trump will do this any time he has a policy disagreement with Congress.The position taken by Trump is, in fact, quite perverse. He is saying that his concession is to re-open government. No American President should ever be taking the federal government hostage to extract demands.“Democrats are working hard to re-open government.The House of Representatives has voted 11 times to re-open our government.The Republican-controlled Senate unfortunately has refused to pass any House legislation to re-open government. By failing to pass those measures, Senate Republicans are abdicating their duty as part of a co-equal branch of government. I am also disappointed that Trump and Republicans continue to lie about basic facts. The truth is, there is no crisis at the border that justifies a government shutdown.According to the latest data from the FBI, violent crime is down. Property crime is also down.According to the Department of Homeland Security, border crossings are at an approximate 20-year low.Study after study also shows that immigrants, both documented and undocumented, commit less crime than native-born Americans.The truth is, the shutdown is not about protecting our border, it’s about Trump’s failed campaign promise. He promised Mexico will pay for his wall. He has been unable to get Mexico to pay for his wall, so he decided to take the mantle and proudly shut down our government. That is wrong, and the American people know it.Poll after poll shows that overwhelming majorities of the American people do not support funding for a wall in the middle of a government shutdown. They support re-opening government.Mr. President, listen to the American people. Re-open our government.
Yesterday the Washington Post reported that At Least 14,000 Unpaid IRS Workers Did Not Show Up For Work As Broad Shutdown Disruption Hits. Jeff Stein and Danielle Paquette wrote that Trump "ordered more than 30,000 employees back to work unpaid to prepare for tax filing season, which is set to begin next week. But of the 26,000 workers called back to the IRS division that includes the tax processing centers and call centers, about 9,000 workers could not be reached and about 5,000 more claimed a hardship exemption, IRS officials have told members of Congress, according to aides... The shutdown appears to be affecting the IRS. In the call centers, which answer taxpayer questions over the phone, only about 35 percent of calls are being answered, IRS officials told congressional staff, according to one of the aides. The initial plan for filing season was for 80 percent of calls to be answered. The average call time, of 7 to 10 minutes last filing season, has jumped to 25 to 40 minutes. The IRS is also losing 25 IT staffers every week since the shutdown began, with many finding other jobs, one House aide said, citing the IRS officials' briefing."
