Senate Dems wrong to shut down U.S. government
Nancy Pelosi a few years ago described a Republican threat to either de-fund Obamacare or risk a government shutdown as “legislative arson.”
If the former speaker and current minority leader was right then, she’s right now. Only this time it’s Democrats in Congress — and especially the Senate — who have brought gasoline and matches to the irresponsibility party.
Senate Democrats, potentially joined by four Republican ideologues who have their own individual agendas, managed to shut down the United States government in a legislative blackmail attempt to protect the so-called “Dreamers” — children brought here illegally from other countries through no fault of their own.
They have done this by scuttling a continuing resolution approved in the House of Representatives that continues government funding.
As a result, they have put hundreds of thousands of federal government employees on furlough, put our military at risk and — unbelievably — cut off the pay of men and women in America’s armed forces who at this very moment are putting their lives on the line in dangerous places around the world.
Our military operates in harm’s way and we are going to cut off the paychecks that go to their families back home?
Senate Democrats were willing to do that — heeding the shrill cries of the far left and putting the interests of the Dreamers, who face no immediate threat — over our military.
Defense Secretary James Mattis, generally held in high regard by members of both political parties, said Friday the shutdown would have a “terrible” impact on America’s armed forces — and that includes the 50 percent or so of the DOD civilian workforce that would be furloughed.
“It will impact obviously our medical facilities. It’s got a huge morale impact. How long can you keep good people around when something like this happens?”
Further, the House, with six Democrats crossing over to vote “yes,” approved a continuing resolution to fund government and included items Democrats support — such as six years of funding for the children’s health insurance program known as CHIP.
It should be noted that House Speaker Paul Ryan resisted attempts from the far right to use the funding mechanism to advance some of its agenda.
Can the Senate Democrats spell “statesmanship?” Yes, we need a fix for the Dreamers. There is almost unanimous agreement on that. The current deadline for that is March 5. They are valuable members of American society, and this must be resolved. But it’s also important to fix other parts of the immigration system so this issue doesn’t simply come back five years from now.
A compromise appears within our reach, even if President Trump’s inappropriate rhetoric doesn’t make it easy.
Yet sadly, the Senate Democrats have now chosen a path that only sows dissent and destruction. They will blame Trump, the Republicans and maybe even the Russians and climate change.
But make no mistake. This time, Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer and his gang are the “legislative arsonists.”