Trump Is Not Blameless in the Spending-Bill Disaster

[EasyAce]

It’s not true that Trump was tricked or betrayed into signing the omnibus
By Jonah Goldberg
https://www.nationalreview.com/2018/03/spending-bill-donald-trump-not-tricked-or-betrayed/

. . . Written largely in secret and passed without any time to read its 2,232 pages, the bill violated pretty much everything the GOP had promised about reforming the process of legislating.

But the sausage was even uglier than the sausage-making. For conservatives, with the exception of a large increase in defense spending, the bill is a hot mess. It raises discretionary spending 13 percent, advances almost no GOP domestic priorities while fulfilling many Democratic ones. There’s a pittance for border security and some new fencing, but nothing for the president’s coveted “big, beautiful wall" . . .

. . . (I)n a shambolic press conference cum signing ceremony later that day, he grudgingly said he’d sign what he called “crazy” legislation. But, he added, he would “never” sign another bill like this again. The key message of the day: It’s not my fault!

So whose fault was it? Those backstabbing blackguards of the Beltway . . .

. . . It’s interesting when people who insist that Trump is the greatest negotiator in history and the most farsighted three-dimensional chess player since Commander Spock also insist that he got rolled . . . There’s just one problem: It’s a lie. Or, to be more charitable, it’s untrue, even if those saying it believe it . . . A source who was involved in drafting the bill tells me that the White House was in the loop on the negotiations. Trump’s legislative-affairs director, Marc Short, signed off on the deal — and seemed to be as surprised as anyone by the veto threat. The president was briefed on the major pieces all along. And let’s not forget: Trump agreed to, lobbied for, and signed into law the budget framework for the legislation in February . . .

[goatprairie]

I find it amusing that Trump wailed about having to sign the bill, and that he's never going to sign another one like it.....he didn't have to sign the *&*T%^ bill!!!!!!

[jpsb]

I find it amusing that Trump wailed about having to sign the bill, and that he's never going to sign another one like it.....he didn't have to sign the *&*T%^ bill!!!!!!

No he did not have to sign it. It was stupid to sign it. And now he is catching holly hell from
conservatives for signing it.

[Concerned]

What I think we need is a true deal-maker in the White House who’s willing to sit down with members of both parties and craft “great deals” on behalf of the American people.  Maybe a guy who really is someone who he “alone” can fix DC. 

Of course, Trump ran on all this, but clearly is unable to actually do it in a political environment.   If he truly is a “great deal-maker” (which I seriously doubt) I’m afraid he doesn’t have the attention span or the ability to dive into the details at such a level that will allow him to craft deals on such things as “repeal and replace”, DACA, or the Omnibus Spending Bill.  Of course, actually doing the work to dive into the details and craft those deals means he can’t play the victim card which he definitely seems to like to play.  I think we desperately need Presidential leadership here.