Already up to their armpits in obstructing President Trumps cabinet appointees and opposing any positive actions for the future of our country, the democrats are doubling down on a bad hand. Chuck Schumer that he has concluded that denying President Trump his wall is perhaps the surest major defeat Democrats can hand the President in his first year.
Obviously, trying to make President Trump look bad appears to be the only plan Democrats have to look good. The plan is not a new one, when the wall legislation was passed by congress under Bush, Democrats who were in control of both houses decided they would refuse to fund it. This led to 6 years of no budget and the massive deficits that were ran up under Obama while the wall went unfunded.
Republicans need 60 votes to fund construction. While they can force votes for things like healthcare or tax reform, they will need at least 8 Democrats to pass the legislation that over 68% of Americans want to see passed. Schumer has decided that denying the wall’s funds and leaving the border open to illegalls will play better with their base than voting to secure the nation.
Since the only way Republicans could pass the funding bill is to entice eight Democrats to come on board, and the only way to do that is to offer something in trade to the Democrats. That is unlikely. That leaves only a rule change by Mitch McConnell to put in the nuclear option and override the filibuster which Democrats plan to launch. That could be done with only Republicans. Schumer thinks McConnell would pass on that option since it would undermine a fundamental Senate tradition.
If Republicans try to include funds for the wall in another bill, regardless of what it is, they will block it. Schumer plans on doing this by making every bill, all about the wall. Schumer believes if he can stop a major piece of President Trumps platform, he can energize the liberal base. But that could backfire as several Senators in Republican leaning states are up for reelection and are sure to be less than thrilled to be seen as obstructionist in states that voted Trump and his signature program of border security.
A source within the administration says the strategy would be to attach the wall funding to the bill that funds the military. Then, if the Democrats try to block it, Republicans could say that Schumer and the Democrats are anti-security. Not only blocking money for border security but for our troops. That would open an endless supply of attack ads staring Democrats up for re-election in 2018 in states that Trump won.
As one source inside the White House said: “We have enough money to get a decent amount of the wall done in first year. We can reprioritize some funding within [the DHS]. … It’s not like work would come to a complete halt.”
So while Schumer and the Democrats could score a “victory” by putting the security of the American people at risk, his plan could easily put the final nails in the coffin of the Democrat Party for years to come.