Trump Celebrates Border Wall Bill Passing the House by Trolling Nancy Pelosi
Quite a stir was caused in D.C. over the last couple of days after a government shutdown seemed inevitable, was averted, then seemed inevitable again.
I’m of course speaking about the much ballyhooed spending bill that would help fund President Donald Trump’s long-promised border wall.
You know, the same border wall that so many Americans have wanted for so long, despite fervent leftist protests.
The same border wall that has been endlessly decried by Democratic leadership.
The same border wall that illegal immigration statistics endlessly back up.
Considering that the border wall was one of, if not, the most important of Trump’s campaign promises in the run-up to his stunning election victory over Hillary Clinton in 2016, it makes sense that this would be a hill for him to die on.
And he seemed fully prepared to die on that hill when initial reports suggested that the first draft of the spending bill didn’t include any of the $5 billion-plus that he would need for the border wall. A battle over that funding made a possible shutdown a very real possibility.
At first, it seemed like a temporary deal to ensure that there would be no government shutdown, but that tune quickly changed when Trump stood his ground and demanded that funding. All of a sudden, that government shutdown seemed like it was happening.
The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED. If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
Shutdown today if Democrats do not vote for Border Security!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
In the latest twist to this tale, it seems like crisis averted, at least temporarily.
Trump tweeted out that the new spending bill that included border wall funding had passed the House by a 217-185 margin.
But in the midst of celebrating the crucial first step of a bigger win, Trump also took a beautiful shot at Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi.
Soon to be Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, last week live from the Oval Office, that the Republicans didn’t have the votes for Border Security. Today the House Republicans voted and won, 217-185. Nancy does not have to apologize. All I want is GREAT BORDER SECURITY!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
“Soon to be Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, last week live from the Oval Office, that the Republicans didn’t have the votes for Border Security. Today the House Republicans voted and won, 217-185,” Trump said on Twitter before he moved in for the zinger. “Nancy does not have to apologize. All I want is GREAT BORDER SECURITY!”
As the kids would say, burn. After calling out Pelosi for being horribly wrong, he threw in a perfect comment about her not needing to apologize.
From a broader perspective, however, Trump’s trolling of Pelosi points to a brilliant political strategy. With a still-looming government shutdown present, Trump has placed the burden of the border wall funding solely on the shoulders of Democrats.
The Democrats, whose votes we need in the Senate, will probably vote against Border Security and the Wall even though they know it is DESPERATELY NEEDED. If the Dems vote no, there will be a shutdown that will last for a very long time. People don’t want Open Borders and Crime!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
The Democrats now own the shutdown!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 21, 2018
Frankly, it’s a win-win situation for Trump. In the event of a government shutdown over no wall funding, Trump has masterfully placed the onus of such a shutdown on the Democrats.
If Trump gets that spending bill passed, he gets the money he needs for the wall. Win-win.
Funding for the border wall is hardly a sure thing yet. Trump and his supporters are not out of the woods. But his latest gambit is a smart one and one that puts the ball in the Democrats’ court.
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