Schumer – We do better when Prez not there
terested in stunts than in addressing the needs of the American people. Poor Ryan and McConnell relegated to props. Sad!”
The Democrats said they were willing to work with their counterparts across the aisle, but that negotiating with Trump would be a waste of time.
“When the President stays out of it we seem to do much better, the four leaders,” Schumer said. “That’s how we did it the last time the government funding expired.”
But Republicans stood by the President, blasting Dems for avoiding the meeting.
“We have big deadlines. We have a military in need of our support, and that work needs to happen now, I think it is very regrettable that our Democratic colleagues and leadership chose to not participate,” Ryan said.
McConnell (photo right) later admonished Pelosi and Schumer for refusing to meet with the President, saying he would never have done such a thing — despite having actually done so with Trump’s predecessor, Barack Obama.
“I think the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate need to understand the way the government works,” McConnell said after meeting with Trump. “That the administration needs to be a part of the ultimate negotiation.”
Trump’s hit on Schumer and Pelosi comes as Republicans are struggling to wrangle votes for a CONGRESS AND President Trump returned to Washington this week — and end-of-the-year tensions immediately boiled over with several high-stakes deadlines looming on the horizon. But Trump on Tuesday butted heads with Democrats over a planned White House meeting meant to defuse the highly charged political atmosphere surrounding several key issues. The fighting between the President and members of Congress comes as leaders of both parties play down the possibility of a government shutdown next week as government funding is set to run out on Dec. 8, one of many major target dates quickly approaching.
FISCAL CLIFF
sweeping tax reform bill.
Trump struck a deal with the pair in September on the debt limit to avoid a government shutdown and help hurricane victims which angered many of his fellow GOPers. He agreed on the shortterm debt ceiling increase that funded the government for three months, setting up the deadline a week from Friday.
Tuesday’s meeting was meant to lay the groundwork for an agreement to keep the government running and set a path for a year-end spending package to give both the Pentagon and domestic agencies relief from a budget freeze.
A host of other issues also weigh heavy on budget and tax talks, including legislative protection for young immigrants known as “Dreamers,” money for the children’s health program that serves more than 8 million low-income children and hurricane relief funds.
Republicans, meanwhile, were attempting to persuade their peers to support their tax reform package after meeting with Trump for a lunch on Capitol Hill.
“It was very special, that meeting. I wish they could have been inside that room. The camaraderie, it was a lovefest,” Trump said. The Senate Budget Committee approved the package by a 12-to-11 vote Tuesday afternoon, as several Republicans said they were more hopeful that the bill will pass. The budget committee added a provision that would allow oil drilling in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) won support to amend the bill to allow homeowners to deduct at least a portion of their local property taxes on their federal tax returns. Several New York House GOP members planned on joining members of the American Federation of Teachers on Wednesday to voice their opposition to the bill, proving that the contentious legislation has drawn together myriad foes. Trump took to twitter Tuesday night to take another poke at Democrats. “After North Korea missile launch, it’s more important than ever to fund our gov’t & military! Dems shouldn’t hold troop funding hostage for amnesty & illegal immigration. I ran on stopping illegal immigration and won big. They can’t now threaten a shutdown to get their demands.”