This isn’t whimsical, there actually is an almost insanely easy solution to the government shutdown, and one that gives every side the ability to claim a “win” on the issue. And funnily enough, the basic mechanics are already in place.
There is no doubt that the Republicans are feeling the heat. Poll after poll shows them guilty by association to Trump, who is so proud to be hurting American families. Phone lines are burning up on Capitol Hill and in district offices. A new CBS poll shows Trump’s approval rating at 36% ,with 71% disapproving of shutting down the government over the wall. If you consider his base at 35%, this means that even 6% of his base finds him to be an insufferable dick on this issue.
Here’s the solution. Mitch McConnell already has two procedural votes lined up tomorrow for ending the shutdown. The first one is on Trump’s hard line “compromise” offer made Saturday, already poison pilled by late additions by racist xenophobe Stephen Miller. McConnell already accepts that this vote will fail miserably, possibly without even carrying a united GOP caucus behind it. We know this because if he felt it had a snowballs chance in hell, there would be no reason for the second procedural vote on the clean House continuing resolution to reopen the government. The only question lies with Mitch McConnell. Has McConnell turned his caucus free to vote their conscience and constituent wishes, or is the vote on the clean CR a “show” vote to prove there is no GOP support for a clean reopening. If it’s the former, the clean CR bill passes in a nanosecond.
Here’s how you end the shutdown by Friday. McConnell calls the vote on the Trump inspired bill, and the Senate wipes its collective ass with it. McConnell then calls Pelosi’s clean CR bill to the floor, where it passes, by more than 67 votes. McConnell then calls the bill to the floor for a final vote, where it passes, being sent to Trump’s desk for his signature, since it’s the original House bill, already voted on and approve. Trump instantly vetoes the bill in a fit of pique. Friday morning, Pelosi brings a vote to the floor to override the veto, which passes. Friday afternoon, McConnell brings the same vote to the floor, where it also passes. The shutdown is over, and everybody goes back to work.
This is a win-win-win scenario for all concerned. Pelosi and the Democratic House get credit for passing the bill that ends the shutdown, and are hailed by their base for not bowing to hostage takers. The GOP House and Senate members can claim victory for bowing to their constituents and taking decisive action to end a disastrous mistake. McConnell can portray himself as a selfless leader, who bowed to the wished of his caucus and the nations desire to put the workers back to work. And Trump can claim victory because he didn’t cave under pressure to end the shutdown. In fact, exactly the opposite, he held firm and vetoed the legislation, it was turncoat Republicans in the House and Senate who buckled. The only losers are the Four Horsemen of the Shitpocalypse, Coulter, Limbaugh, Hannity, and Igraham, who lose their favorite chew toy. But even they can spin this, since it only 29% of the country thinks that the wall is worth shutting down the government over, that means that even a portion of their listeners think they’re idiots for pushing this tripe.
I know, this whole scenario is hypothetical. But the blowback from this shutdown is only intensifying, especially for the Republicans. And remember this, 10 GOP Senators crossed over to vote with the Democrats in the Senate to put the kibosh on Trump trying to end the sanctions of Oleg Deripaska, an issue that wasn’t even on anybodies “Top Ten List of Shit to Get Done.” There are 22 GOP Senators up for reelection in 2020, and nobody is very happy with them right now. That Senate vote tomorrow afternoon is my sleeper surprise for the week.
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