President Donald Trump once again unleashed what’s become his presidential hallmark: a bizarre, winding, threatening press conference, this time following his White House meeting with Democratic leaders Friday to try to break the impasse causing the government shutdown.
In a long, meandering briefing in the Rose Garden, Trump told reporters the partial shutdown now heading into its third week could go on for months, even years, if Democrats don’t give him the $5.6 billion he’s demanding to build a U.S.-Mexico border wall. The Democrats have steadfastly refused. The shutdown has affected some 800,000 federal workers — 420,000 of them forced to work without pay — since Dec. 22.
“This is national security we’re talking about,” Trump said. “We’re not talking about games.“
When asked if there was any “safety net” for workers going without pay as the shutdown continues, Trump responded: “The safety net is going to be having a strong border.”
Trump also floated another way he could get his wall: declaring a state of national emergency over border security to build it without congressional approval.
“I could do it if I wanted,” Trump said.
If y’all are curious as to why I get so militant about the politics well it may or may not have something to do with the fact that the president of America is a wild man who believes things he himself made up and who talks about dissolving his own government and installing himself as a dictator as if it ain’t no big deal.
“I could do it if I wanted” indeed. Those words probably gonna haunt my dreams tonight ngl
The safety net for furloughed employees is a strong border? Is Mexico going to pay their wages like they’re going to pay for the wall?
Those employees include hospital staff, emergency services, and other staff of critical support structures. This is going to kill people, if it hasn’t already.
Impeach the bastard.
LOCK HIM UP
TSA screeners are working without pay and some are not doing their jobs properly. A growing number are involved in an informal sick out, causing longer lines.
We already have a shortage of air traffic controllers. One in five are eligible for retirement. If a significant number of them choose to retire rather than stick out the shutdown, we will have a long term problem, especially as the new apprentices in training are also likely to quit.
They have also furloughed all aviation safety inspectors, although they’re being called in without pay as needed.
Tl;dr - if you don’t have to fly right now, don’t.
Other effects: Affordable housing contracts are not being renewed. Nobody has been turned out onto the streets yet, but landlords are cutting back on maintenance.
If the shutdown passes January 20, while food stamp recipients will get money for February (early), they may not get it for March.
FEMA will not have funding after January 31. Some people are still waiting for roof repairs they now won’t get.
The Coast Guard has almost no money left, which, oh! That affects border security. Hey, drug smugglers? All ya need to do is get in a boat. It will also affect safety.
Tl;dr - yes, people are going to die, and we may have a major air disaster. Or another terrorist attack. And more drugs getting into the country.
Yet, 75% of Republicans still support the wall…over American lives.
FDA is stopping inspections on a lot of food types, when we’re already having people sick and dying over lettuce. The FDA workers that are still working are doing so without pay.
Manufacture crisis > declare emergency > seize power = dictatorship
