Day 27 and counting, as I write this.
Trish Regan on her program Tuesday pointed out that with the Democrats' obstruction in pushing this shutdown, the shutdown has already cost the federal government more than $5.7 billion.
I consider it Pelosi's shutdown because Trump has remained in the White House and didn't even leave for vacation over Christmas and New Years, because he is committed to negotiate a solution. Trump has offered multiple new proposals and alternatives.
The Democrats won't even meet with him to hear those proposals, some aren't even in the city to meet with him. How is that serving the taxpayers or the 800,000 or so furloughed federal workers? Some of whom are working without pay (Coast Guard, TSA) and will not be reimbursed later.
The second week or so of the shutdown, Pelosi spent in Hawaii on vacation.
The third week of the shutdown, most of the House and Senate Democrats went to Puerto Rico on vacation (and went by private jet, so they wouldn't have to face the TSA staffers who are working without pay at the airport). Allegedly in Puerto Rico to do some work, but photographed frolicking with bikini-clad girls on the beach.
This 4th week, Pelosi was going to leave the country again for Europe, and Trump let her know that "for budget reasons" she could not use her usual federally-paid-for private jet to travel there. Although she is welcome by Trump to fly on a commercial jet like the commoners she has no regard for.
Just pointing out also, I could pull up Youtube video of Pelosi, Schumer, Hoyer, and all the rest calling in years past for a border wall and not permitting illegal immigrants to enter our country unvetted and unlawfully. Even Obama and Hillary!
But now, complete hypocrisy, they consider it a waste of money to secure the border that they advocated and even funded securing a year ago. Pelosi even called it "immoral".
There's hypocrisy on the Democrats' part thrashing its monstrous head all over the place.
It's not about saving money, because the shutdowwn has already wasted more than that.
It's not about morals, because Democrats for many years have said the exact opposite of what they're saying now. (1) We need to secure the border. (2) It's immoral to secure the border. Well, which is it? Were you lying then, or are you lying now? Even the most bottom-feeding welfare-sponging food-stamp abusing Democrat could see the hypocrisy of the Democrats, and that they only now oppose securing the border because Trump is for it.
It's not about being humane, because leaving the border unsecured creates far more victims than securing it would, among both illegals and U.S. legal residents they prey on. Again, Amnesty International and other human rights groups estimate between 60 to 80% of women and girls trafficked across the border are raped and sexually abused. Many others are murdered or forced into human slavery or prostitution. Men and women mid-journey who can't pay the full price for coyote escort are violently tortured and murdered as an example to the others. Many others who fall ill or otherwise can't keep up are left behind to die in the desert, and border patrol finds their bodies later, hundreds of them every year. To say nothing of the U.S. citizens and LEGAL immigrants in the U.S. murdered, raped, killed by drunk drivers, and tortured by MS-13 and other hispanic gangs. One small sample, over 90% of the outstanding warrants for murder in Los Angeles, CA are for illegal immigrants from Mexico, mostly gang members.
The most recent estimate of the annual cost of illegal immigration is $136 billion a year. The cost of the wall is 5.7 billion, and the shutdown has already cost more than that. If the border wall reduces illegals by 95% as it has in San Diego and every other sector a secure wall has been put up, it will pay for itself many times over in saved tax dollars, and saved lives.
There is absolutely no moral high ground for the Democrats on this shutdown and securing the border. It's pure obstruction.
