Search This Blog

Friday, January 25, 2019

So What Next For the Border Wall?

I've been reading the coverage of President Trump's statement on the short term deal to reopen the government.  It seems that most of the reporters did not watch the same speech by the President as I did.  First, there's the media group that proclaims today's deal a terrible defeat for Trump.  These people even say that Trump looked shaken and defeated when he made his statement.  (I doubt that these so called reporters bothered to watch Trump's speech.)

Then there's the larger group that says that Trump was "defeated" by the Democrats but that he was trying to put a good face on the loss.  I don't think that these reporters understand what happened either.  They are correct that the government reopened with no money going for the wall.  They seem to miss the fact that the Democrats have been saying that once the government reopened, they would negotiate in good faith.  If they don't keep that promise, it will be much easier for Trump to proceed down the path of an emergency declaration.

My take is that Trump had to reopen the government because things were getting to the point where there were real consequences from the shutdown.  I still think that when Trump says that there will either be a deal in the next three weeks or else he may well use his emergency powers that he means just that.  While an emergency declaration will surely be tested in court, there is a very strong case for Trump to be successful in his use of these powers.  There may be some delay, but the wall will still be built.

 

No comments: