The Patriot Post® · Schumer Concedes, Shutdown Ends
Shortly after noon on Monday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Sumer (D-NY) agreed to end the Democrats’ government shutdown, with the Senate voting 81-18 to break the filibuster over the spending bill. Schumer stated, “After several discussions, offers and counteroffers, the Republican leader and I have come to an arrangement. We will vote today to reopen the government to continue negotiating a global agreement.” You wouldn’t know it from that statement, but Schumer and his party lost this one big time.
Both houses passed a continuing resolution to keep the government going through Feb. 8. It includes a six-year funding extension for the Child Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has promised to allow an immigration bill to reach the floor next month.
It’s interesting to note that several Democrat senators who are presumed to have their eyes on a presidential run in 2020 voted against ending the filibuster. These include Cory Booker (NJ), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Elizabeth Warren (MA), Kirsten Gillibrand (NY) and Kamala Harris (CA). Got to keep up the “cred” with the leftist base.
Yet Schumer’s rather quick decision to end the filibuster without gaining any significant concessions from Republicans demonstrates just how toxic the shutdown was proving to be for Democrats. A CNN poll last week showed that 56% of Americans favored approving a budget deal before working out any immigration deal on DACA. Again, that’s CNN. That combined with the fact that President Donald Trump and GOP leaders had clearly stated that they were willing to work on DACA but only separate from the budget deal also worked against Schumer’s kamikaze strategy. And now Democrats have egg on their faces for what amounted to little more than a political temper tantrum.
The bottom line is this: Democrats are making their political play for future illegal immigrant votes a higher priority than the interests of American citizens. They’re advocating for immigrant worker inflation that results in wage deflation. Their traditional blue-collar constituents best take notice.
As for the enormous cost to taxpayers, while the ranks of distressed American veterans are growing, Democrats are offering free housing, medical treatment, food and education for illegal immigrants. Every American should be offended.
(Updated.)
Update: By the way, CNS News reports, “Federal spending for the fourth Monday in January set a record of $16,596,000,000 for that day in January even though the federal government was shut down.” Some “shutdown.”