Great unity in the Republican Party. Want to, once and for all, put an end to stoppable crime and drugs! Border Security and Wall. No doubt!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019
BUILD A WALL & CRIME WILL FALL! This is the new theme, for two years until the Wall is finished (under construction now), of the Republican Party. Use it and pray!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019
BUILD A WALL & CRIME WILL FALL!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 23, 2019
Let us be clear: there is no legitimate purpose here, just government by slogan and catchphrase. Ordinarily government is guided by facts and reasons; legislative inquiry, investigation, testimony, build a basis for a law or a governmental expenditure. In the Great State of Texas, where the one task required of the Lege every two years is to establish a budget for the biennium based on the State Comptroller's forecast of revenue for the state (it's an elected office; we elect everybody in state government in Texs; everybody), the Comptroller is asking ordinary citizens to PLEASE come to Austin to testify so the Lege will have some idea how to spend the taxpayer's hard earned. That's the way it's supposed to work.
Trump doesn't understand any of that. He just knows he ran on a slogan, and now he has to make the slogan a reality. He doesn't even defend his racism and xenophobia; he just stands on it as if it were the Rock of Truth itself. So this isn't about Trump's "political destruction," it's about governance and how our government should operate. Congress should debate the wall, investigate the wall, consider all the reasons for and against the wall. But they should not fund it's construction because the President came up with a new catchphrase.
And there's the curious appeal to faith, couched in two tweets: "No doubt!' and "Use it and pray!" What is the appeal here? To unwavering support for Dear Leader? And to pray without ceasing that the catchphrase will work? I doubt seriously Trump has 1 Thessalonians in mind, but is he suddenly coming to religious language because he has nowhere else to turn? That's the usual use of religion in public life: when all else fails, God help us!
And, of course, the wall is not under construction now, else we wouldn't be in this quagmire (for which there is a simpler solution than capitulation; there is no reason for the government to be shut down because the President won't sign a funding bill. It's past time to take that weapon away from the toddler-in-chief).
But given these tweets, does it matter what the Senate votes on today, tomorrow, next week? Until the 100 Senators who voted to fund the rest of the government are willing to stand by that vote against a Presidential veto, it really doesn't matter what Congress votes to do. This is really not on the Democrats at all. The guy in the White House has said that all along; and today he's said it again, three times.
How many times does it take to realize he means it?
And, of course, the wall is not under construction now, else we wouldn't be in this quagmire (for which there is a simpler solution than capitulation; there is no reason for the government to be shut down because the President won't sign a funding bill. It's past time to take that weapon away from the toddler-in-chief).
But given these tweets, does it matter what the Senate votes on today, tomorrow, next week? Until the 100 Senators who voted to fund the rest of the government are willing to stand by that vote against a Presidential veto, it really doesn't matter what Congress votes to do. This is really not on the Democrats at all. The guy in the White House has said that all along; and today he's said it again, three times.
How many times does it take to realize he means it?
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