GOP senators read Pence riot act before shutdown votes

[mystery-ak]

GOP senators read Pence riot act before shutdown votes
By Alexander Bolton - 01/24/19 06:34 PM EST

Frustrated GOP senators read Vice President Pence the riot act at a closed-door meeting Thursday, telling him the partial government shutdown needs to end soon, according to lawmakers in the room.

Republican senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), warned the vice president that prolonging the shutdown is not a smart political strategy, in hopes of sending a clear message to President Trump that he needs to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.

Lawmakers vented their irritation to Pence shortly before six GOP senators defected to vote for a Democratic-backed bill that would open the government without funding Trump’s proposed border wall.

One GOP senator said lawmakers told Pence “the shutdown needs to come to an end, this is not a strategy that works [and] we never should have had a shutdown in the first place.”

Pence in turn told them that “the president is interested in striking a deal,” according to the source.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/426896-gop-senators-read-pence-riot-act-before-shutdown-votes

[Frank Cannon]

Republican senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.), warned the vice president that prolonging the shutdown is not a smart political strategy

Yeah. If anyone knows about smart political strategy it is this half dead ass wipe that no one outside of DC likes.

[edpc]

Cornyn had lunch with Pence before the CR vote in December. When he emerged, Cornyn announced Trump would sign a clean CR, funding through Feb 8th. The only reason that bill passed with such heavy support is because of the assurances the Majority Whip had received. Trump wavered, after criticism from Fox & Friends, Limbaugh, and Coulter.

You can believe there were some unhappy people in the party leadership. They had hoped to pass the CR and allow for a month of negotiations in the new session, without the shutdown. I’m willing to bet Pence was told to get something done or he’d not only find a quorum for the next CR vote, but a veto proof majority, as well.

[RetBobbyMI]

Just shut the hell up with the RINO bs.  Fork out the money for the wall and everything will be hunky dorie. 

[skeeter]

So the "moderate" republicans are growing squirrely. Didn't see THAT coming.

They were squirrely before the shutdown.

And can Alaska PLEASE deal with Murkowski at the next election? Please?

[edpc]

Yeah. If anyone knows about smart political strategy it is this half dead ass wipe that no one outside of DC likes.

Like him or not, McConnell is the ONLY reason Trump has so many federal court and 2 Supreme Court appointments.

[Frank Cannon]

Like him or not, McConnell is the ONLY reason Trump has so many federal court and 2 Supreme Court appointments.

Yeah. He's a blessing. Shit that should be a no brainer for most GOPers is a magnificent gesture for the Turtle.

[andy58-in-nh]

I really do not understand why everyone is so surprised.

For the most part, our congressmen live in Washington, DC now, not in their home districts. Washington is not only the home of the Federal government and its administrative Leviathan, but also home to a virtual army of lawyers and lobbyists for corporations, institutions and local and state governments. 99.9% of them are opposed to a border wall, and although they are opposed for different reasons, the result is the same.

The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time. Democrats clearly have the better deal here: their leaders depend increasingly on the votes of misinformed youth (the Left owns the educational, cultural and media establishments, because Republicans long thought them unimportant), and of minorities loosely attached to American values and history (ditto).  Owing to demographics and immigration, the Democrats' base is growing while the GOP's base is shrinking.

Democrats believe in big, socialist government programs and only need preach to their choir. For their part, most GOP lawmakers are influenced more by lobbyists than by their own voters, and accordingly make deals with the former while cynically lying to the latter, in order to get re-elected and thus maintain their perquisites. Which is to say: at least the Democrats believe their own bullshit.

As long as our government doesn't want a wall, there will be no wall. There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one. 

[libertybele]

Just shut the hell up with the RINO bs.  Fork out the money for the wall and everything will be hunky dorie.

    

[Fishrrman]

andy wrote:
"The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time."

Say, wasn't there some kind of document or.... er.... "declaration"... written about a similar occurrence 'way back around 1776....?

andy continued:
"There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one."

Oops... wrote the first part of this reply before I read your post to the end.
Yup... you know about it!

Oh, one other thing, andy...
Do you believe that lightning could strike twice?

[Wingnut]

I can't wait to see who screws the pooch on this one.

[Bigun]

I really do not understand why everyone is so surprised.

For the most part, our congressmen live in Washington, DC now, not in their home districts. Washington is not only the home of the Federal government and its administrative Leviathan, but also home to a virtual army of lawyers and lobbyists for corporations, institutions and local and state governments. 99.9% of them are opposed to a border wall, and although they are opposed for different reasons, the result is the same.

The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time. Democrats clearly have the better deal here: their leaders depend increasingly on the votes of misinformed youth (the Left owns the educational, cultural and media establishments, because Republicans long thought them unimportant), and of minorities loosely attached to American values and history (ditto).  Owing to demographics and immigration, the Democrats' base is growing while the GOP's base is shrinking.

Democrats believe in big, socialist government programs and only need preach to their choir. For their part, most GOP lawmakers are influenced more by lobbyists than by their own voters, and accordingly make deals with the former while cynically lying to the latter, in order to get re-elected and thus maintain their perquisites. Which is to say: at least the Democrats believe their own bullshit.

As long as our government doesn't want a wall, there will be no wall. There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one.

ABSOLUTELY correct! 100% Across the board!

[DB]

I really do not understand why everyone is so surprised.

For the most part, our congressmen live in Washington, DC now, not in their home districts. Washington is not only the home of the Federal government and its administrative Leviathan, but also home to a virtual army of lawyers and lobbyists for corporations, institutions and local and state governments. 99.9% of them are opposed to a border wall, and although they are opposed for different reasons, the result is the same.

The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time. Democrats clearly have the better deal here: their leaders depend increasingly on the votes of misinformed youth (the Left owns the educational, cultural and media establishments, because Republicans long thought them unimportant), and of minorities loosely attached to American values and history (ditto).  Owing to demographics and immigration, the Democrats' base is growing while the GOP's base is shrinking.

Democrats believe in big, socialist government programs and only need preach to their choir. For their part, most GOP lawmakers are influenced more by lobbyists than by their own voters, and accordingly make deals with the former while cynically lying to the latter, in order to get re-elected and thus maintain their perquisites. Which is to say: at least the Democrats believe their own bullshit.

As long as our government doesn't want a wall, there will be no wall. There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one.

And anything traded in exchange for a wall later like DACA still won't be honored. They'll get what they want now and the wall will never come.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Lawmakers vented their irritation to Pence shortly before six GOP senators defected to vote for a Democratic-backed bill that would open the government without funding Trump’s proposed border wall.

So this is what winning looks like.
Doesn't anybody have President Trump's phone number?  Why are they talking to Pence?  Is the President too busy watching the Gorilla Attacks Marathon on the Gorilla Channel?

It shouldn't take VP Pence long to relay the message from the Senate.  They said "no."

[Frank Cannon]

Why are they talking to Pence? 

Because President Trump would punch them in the face. A robot won't.

[Jazzhead]

I really do not understand why everyone is so surprised.

For the most part, our congressmen live in Washington, DC now, not in their home districts. Washington is not only the home of the Federal government and its administrative Leviathan, but also home to a virtual army of lawyers and lobbyists for corporations, institutions and local and state governments. 99.9% of them are opposed to a border wall, and although they are opposed for different reasons, the result is the same.

The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time. Democrats clearly have the better deal here: their leaders depend increasingly on the votes of misinformed youth (the Left owns the educational, cultural and media establishments, because Republicans long thought them unimportant), and of minorities loosely attached to American values and history (ditto).  Owing to demographics and immigration, the Democrats' base is growing while the GOP's base is shrinking.

Democrats believe in big, socialist government programs and only need preach to their choir. For their part, most GOP lawmakers are influenced more by lobbyists than by their own voters, and accordingly make deals with the former while cynically lying to the latter, in order to get re-elected and thus maintain their perquisites. Which is to say: at least the Democrats believe their own bullshit.

As long as our government doesn't want a wall, there will be no wall. There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one.

Well said.   The interests of the people and the interests of politicians have completely diverged.   People want politicians to be serious,  and politicians want to play games with each other.   Tit for tat.  Gratuitous demonization.   Winning style points.  Unconcern with reaching common ground.  Unwillingness to compromise.   The game has gotten so desperate that politicians are gratuitously attacking ordinary folks.   We are deplorables.   We are immoral because we wear a certain sort of red cap.   We are evil because we want our civil liberties to include the right to choose.   

Public virtue shaming, not just of celebrities but of ordinary high school kids.  Identity politics,  with tribalism replacing the love of country.  These waves are all stoked by the media, with the politicians along for the ride.   It's a disease, this media obsession with glorifying cruelty and the ripping of scabs.     

There is no more amoral group in America today than the media.    The fourth estate is determined to make the news.   And politicians are adapting to it,  and citizens are becoming numb to it.             

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Because President Trump would punch them in the face. 

Lol.

[Hoodat]

What are they yelling at Pence for?  It's the Democrats who are keeping the government shut down.

[Formerly Once-Ler]

What are they yelling at Pence for?  It's the Democrats who are keeping the government shut down.

https://appropriations.house.gov/news/press-releases/house-passes-tenth-bill-to-reopen-government-pay-federal-employees

[RetBobbyMI]

I really do not understand why everyone is so surprised.

For the most part, our congressmen live in Washington, DC now, not in their home districts. Washington is not only the home of the Federal government and its administrative Leviathan, but also home to a virtual army of lawyers and lobbyists for corporations, institutions and local and state governments. 99.9% of them are opposed to a border wall, and although they are opposed for different reasons, the result is the same.

The truth is that the interests of the American people and their elected representatives began to diverge some time ago, and that division has only widened with time. Democrats clearly have the better deal here: their leaders depend increasingly on the votes of misinformed youth (the Left owns the educational, cultural and media establishments, because Republicans long thought them unimportant), and of minorities loosely attached to American values and history (ditto).  Owing to demographics and immigration, the Democrats' base is growing while the GOP's base is shrinking.

Democrats believe in big, socialist government programs and only need preach to their choir. For their part, most GOP lawmakers are influenced more by lobbyists than by their own voters, and accordingly make deals with the former while cynically lying to the latter, in order to get re-elected and thus maintain their perquisites. Which is to say: at least the Democrats believe their own bullshit.

As long as our government doesn't want a wall, there will be no wall. There's an answer for that, too. But not an easy one.

The founders and framers of the Constitution never intended a full time professional congress. Past time to change Washington DC. Two 60 day sessions a year ought to be plenty enough to conduct regular business, one for financial the other for other. That along with special sessions called by the President for a specific issue and a limited time.

[dfwgator]

Cheap Labor TRUMPS all.

[andy58-in-nh]

Oh, one other thing, andy...
Do you believe that lightning could strike twice?

@Fishrrman 
Of course it can - and sometimes in exactly the same place. But lightning requires a substantial accumulation of polarized charges for its potential to be released.
We're getting there.   

[jmyrlefuller]

Why are they mad at Pence?

The Democrats in the House are the ones stalling. They know the longer they hold out, the angrier their union constituencies get... and the unions will keep telling them to vote Democrat. They can cause the crisis and not be held accountable.

Even if Trump agreed to no wall at this point, I'm not convinced the Democrats would agree to it.

[RetBobbyMI]

Trump is and has been trying to use the appropriations process to get funding for building physical structures along the border to restrict entries outside the designated ports of entry, but to no avail.  Maybe he will at some point accept the Dems proposal of not specified funding for the wall, provided it doesn’t state that under no circumstances shall appropriated funds be used for that purpose, and then declare the national emergency and ram it down their throats. Play along with them and say he needs more for technology improvements and equipment. Then Boom 💥.

[andy58-in-nh]

The founders and framers of the Constitution never intended a full time professional congress. Past time to change Washington DC. Two 60 day sessions a year ought to be plenty enough to conduct regular business, one for financial the other for other. That along with special sessions called by the President for a specific issue and a limited time.

We have a professional legislators, professional bureaucrats, professional lobbyists, and professional political activists. What we as citizens no longer have are representatives.