Difficult vote?

Only when it comes to politics

The headline said that U.S. senators have reached a border/foreign aid deal that will overhaul border policy at the U.S.-Mexico line, and fund small-D democratic friends in Ukraine and Israel as they fight off invasions. But “senators” only hold half the power in the United States Congress. The U.S. House of Representatives might prove a more difficult matter.

For months now, Republicans have demanded real border policy change in exchange for the Biden administration’s wishes for Ukraine and Israel. Which was smart politics on their part. When a party only controls one-half of one of the three branches of government, you leverage what you can for the home team.

The administration (rightly) wanted to send more ammo and equipment to our friends abroad (much of that stuff made right here in Arkansas!) so the Republicans in the House said they wanted something in return:

A real border.

The Senate got to work. And over the weekend, word came out that the negotiators therein finally had come up with a breakthrough. The AP says senators “reached a deal on a proposal to overhaul the asylum system at the U.S. border with Mexico, clearing the way for Democratic and Republican Senate leaders to begin the difficult task of persuading Congress to pass a national security package that will include tens of billions of dollars for Ukraine and immigration enforcement, as well as funding for Israel and other American allies.”

Opposition apparently comes from several sides:

■ Some senators will oppose it.

■ Some progressives in the House might not like the idea of border control. Expect the House “squad” and others to give the bill grief, even if they come on board later—for the administration’s sake.

■ Bernie Sanders—sigh—said he will push to strip offensive weapons and ammo for Israel from the bill (while protecting defensive systems).

■ Then there’s Donald Trump. According to multiple reports— including his own statements—he’s against the deal. It might give Joe Biden a win in this campaign year, doncha know. According to Sen. Mitt Romney, one of the more honest brokers in politics these days:

“I think the border is a very important issue for Donald Trump. And the fact that he would communicate to Republican senators and congresspeople that he doesn’t want us to solve the border problem because he wants to blame Biden for it is … really appalling.”

He added, “But the reality is that we have a crisis at the border; the American people are suffering as a result of what’s happening at the border. And someone running for president not to try and get the problem solved, as opposed to saying, ‘Hey, save that problem. Don’t solve it. Let me take credit for solving it later.’”

Another GOP senator, Todd Young of Indiana, told CNN that any efforts to disrupt the deal is “tragic” and added: “I hope no one is trying to take this away for campaign purposes.”

Those are a couple of brave statements coming from Republican politicians in Washington. Wonders never cease.

Now what about Republicans in the House of Representatives? Do they want to plug holes at the border and arm democratic countries defending themselves? At the risk of being called mean things by their (almost) presumptive nominee?

This might be a difficult vote for Arkansas’ representatives.

No. Better said, this is might be a difficult political vote for Arkansas’ representatives. The ones who put country first—over Donald Trump’s interests and insults—will vote to secure the border and help friends on the other side of the world fight off their aggressive enemies.

Will they?

History is watching. So are thousands and thousands of would-be illegal immigrants on the Mexico-United States border.