UPDATE: Trump signs funding bill and declares national emergency, promptly admits he didn't actually need to declare a national emergency

[SaysWho?]

JUST IN: President Trump is likely to sign a bipartisan agreement to keep the government open and avoid another partial shutdown, 3 sources familiar with the president’s thinking tell NBC News.

 

 

 

 

Original post:

 

On the deal in the works in the Senate

 

Quote

Faced with limited options and a looming deadline to prevent another government shutdown, President Trump is showing new flexibility on a border-security deal that would fall well short of his once-firm demand for $5.7 billion in funds for a wall at the southwestern frontier.

 

On Capitol Hill, House and Senate conferees were nearing an agreement that could offer the president around $2 billion in funding for physical barriers, a number, still subject to change, that could result in a deal as early as Monday.

 

“We’re 95 to 98 percent done,” said Senator Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee.

 

Trump cornered on border wall: the president doesn’t have GOP support to go through another shutdown or declare a national emergency — pressuring him to back whatever deal Congress makes.

 

Quote

But he seemed warm to the idea of a bipartisan deal on Thursday after he met with Senate Appropriations Chairman Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). Shelby later briefed Senate Republicans on their meeting at a party lunch, which left them hopeful the president would be willing to support something that gives him more money for fencing — even if it isn't the $5.7 billion he’s been seeking, said one attendee.

 

“He’ll consider any kind of reasonable proposition … there’s a general openness," said Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a vulnerable GOP senator who stuck by Trump amid the politically debilitating 35-day shutdown. “He’s obviously going to fulfill his campaign promise, and there’s got to be some earnest progress. It’s not like he’s going to acquiesce. But I do believe he’s showing good faith.”

 

Quote

Though the White House has worked to prepare an emergency declaration invoking the president’s sweeping executive powers, several West Wing aides have warned that invoking it would alienate some conservatives who have otherwise been loyal to the White House. Lawmakers and activists on the right have been critical allies of the president on judicial nominations and have stressed that an emergency declaration could set a precedent for a future Democratic president to take far-reaching action on climate change or gun violence.

 

Trump has stopped musing as much about a national emergency, both publicly and privately. Asked whether he’d been given marching orders or an ultimatum on a unilateral move by the president, Shelby said that didn't happen.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/02/08/is-trump-preparing-surrender-his-wall-heres-one-way-it-could-happen/?utm_term=.0caff9c006ac

 

Quote

As The Post reports, negotiators have “narrowed their differences” on two key issues — the wall, and the number of beds funded for the detention of migrants by Immigration and Customs Enforcement:

 

The two issues moved in tandem, with Democrats offering more money for border barriers in exchange for fewer detention beds. Democrats are trying to limit the Trump administration’s ability to detain border crossers, preferring alternatives such as ankle bracelets. Republican negotiators are in favor of both more barrier funding and expanded detention centers.

Also in the mix is a key element of the Democratic proposal: $500 million in money to upgrade facilities at the border so the conditions are more humane and medically safer for asylum-seeking families and children. And Democrats are pushing for various other border security measures more technologically in sync with the 21st century.

 

[skillzdadirecta]

EVERYBODY WINS 

[PaladinSolo]

Remember when he turned down 13 times that amount lol. 

[Mr.Vic20]

New fence design incoming:

 

 

 

[SaysWho?]

3 minutes ago, PaladinSolo said:

Remember when he turned down 13 times that amount lol. 

 

 

[TwinIon]

The $5.7B only included enough for 100 miles of new barriers. Even if all $2B was being spent on new barriers, it probably wouldn't cover the same distance, unless they're adding much cheaper barriers, which seems silly.

[legend]

What a waste of money. We're basically flushing 2 billion dollars down the toilet just so he can pretend to have some kind of victory that will ultimately do nothing of value.

 

And the GOP is the fiscally conservative party?

[PaladinSolo]

So 2 billion is actually the high offer, lol. 

 

 

[SuperSpreader]

heh heh heh 

[Jason]

Guys call me crazy but I'm starting to think maybe this Trump guy isn't actually that great at making bigly deals after all.

[skillzdadirecta]

10 minutes ago, Jason said:

Guys call me crazy but I'm starting to think maybe this Trump guy isn't actually that great at making bigly deals after all.

 

I think you maybe right 

[b_m_b_m_b_m]

 

[SuperSpreader]

Okay, who made fun of his negotiation skills and small wall to his face this time?? Ann???

 

I hope TSA insta walks out the day after the shutdown at every airport, maybe on a busy Monday.

 

[Littleronin]

So can we look forward to the name of this thread changing to Trump Shutdowns Vol. IV - 2019 Part II

[SaysWho?]

I'm reading that, due to his rally in Texas tonight, it's going to be harder to reach this deal since he likely won't strike a bipartisan tone.

[marioandsonic]

8 minutes ago, SaysWho? said:

I'm reading that, due to his rally in Texas tonight, it's going to be harder to reach this deal since he likely won't strike a bipartisan tone.

BuT hIs StAtE oF tHe UnIoN aDdReSs WaS aBoUt UnItY

[SuperSpreader]

He's presidential now 

[Chairslinger]

1 hour ago, 2user1cup said:

He's presidential now 

 

 

Van Jones is like the world's Iron & Wine after that asinine comment. 

[TwinIon]

It seems that funding is now taking a back seat to a cap on detentions of immigrants apprehended within the country. I guess the Democrats seem to think that's the best way they can limit ICE.

[SuperSpreader]

1 hour ago, Chairslinger said:

 

 

Van Jones is like the world's Iron & Wine after that asinine comment. 

Not sure what this means but I like it!

[TwinIon]

Apparently the proposed border wall goes right through a SpaceX launch pad in Texas.

[RedSoxFan9]

5 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

Apparently the proposed border wall goes right through a SpaceX launch pad in Texas.

 

hell yeah

[Greatoneshere]

On 2/8/2019 at 1:54 PM, legend said:

What a waste of money. We're basically flushing 2 billion dollars down the toilet just so he can pretend to have some kind of victory that will ultimately do nothing of value.

 

And the GOP is the fiscally conservative party?

 

MAGA chuds burning their own tax money just to own the libs. 

 

You've never trolled yourself so hard to hurt someone else so well. They are quite good at this. 

 

They heard the expression "cut your nose off to spite your face," said, "hold my beer" and made that expression writ large and we all get to suffer for it. Are you not entertained?

 

I'm not kidding. Ask any MAGA guy online. They simply don't care - they have said it themselves: "we're not hurting the right people" and "cruelty is the point". We can't win.

[SaysWho?]

Lawmakers say they have reached an ‘agreement in principle’ to avoid government shutdown

 

Quote

Top lawmakers say they have reached a deal to fund the government through the fall, a deal that would resolve ongoing disputes over immigration and — if signed into law by President Trump — stave off a partial government shutdown set to start Saturday.

 

Quote

Trump’s demands for funds to build a border wall, which prompted the 35-day government shutdown that ended late last month, are not the central sticking point in the current impasse. Instead, the two sides are at odds over Democrats’ attempt to impose a new cap on detentions of immigrants apprehended within the United States, as opposed to at the border. Negotiators refer to this cap as representing the number of “beds” that the government can use for detentions.

Republicans want to exclude immigrants charged with or convicted of certain crimes from the cap, arguing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement might not otherwise have the ability to detain dangerous criminals. Democrats, seeking to rein in the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement policies, say excluding people from the cap would render it toothless.

 

Quote

But Democrats have said the Republican descriptions inaccurately characterize their position. They said the White House’s insistence on excluding people charged or convicted of crimes, even nonviolent drug offenses, would give the White House almost limitless power to detain people and make existing rules irrelevant.

 

[thewhyteboar]

 

[Jason]

 

[Jason]

 

[SaysWho?]

“On this new so-called compromise,” Hannity said, “I’m getting details — $1.3 billion? That’s not even a wall, a barrier. … We will get back into this tomorrow. Any Republican that supports this garbage compromise, you will have to explain — look at this crowd.”

[TwinIon]

So the new deal is for 55 miles of new fencing, which is pretty much on par with the last couple years of funding new barriers. Sure. Just keep the government open.

[Greatoneshere]

8 minutes ago, TwinIon said:

So the new deal is for 55 miles of new fencing, which is pretty much on par with the last couple years of funding new barriers. Sure. Just keep the government open.

 

The fight over the border wall may be the newest low of a presidency full of lows because unlike other policies this is only about optics. Democrats were always for more border security, which was also appropriated in the original fucking bill that was going to be passed in December anyway, and that border security funding did include funding for fixing up current fencing and adding some new fencing, etc.

 

But because Trump and his base don't understand that, at this point, the difference in funding for border security vs. a border wall is a distinction without a difference yet this could get held up on that point anyway because people are stupid and can't see that Democrats were always for funding some additional border security that included some additional fencing but moreso they are funding for other, more effective border security than a wall would anyway.

 

Basically, Trump's base should be happier with Democrats for instituting border security that will actually help stem illegal immigration over the border (with more drones, etc.) than a border wall would stop (since everyone has already explained a border wall would be ineffective anyway) yet his base stays on Trump's side for an ineffective border wall than switch sides to the Democrats who are pushing for effective border security, which is WHAT THEY WANT ANYWAY.

 

It hurts the brain. 

[Jason]

 

[PaladinSolo]

This time when i close the government because i torpedo'd a bipartisan bill it'll be democrats fault!

 

 

[TwinIon]

1 hour ago, Greatoneshere said:

The fight over the border wall may be the newest low of a presidency full of lows because unlike other policies this is only about optics. Democrats were always for more border security, which was also appropriated in the original fucking bill that was going to be passed in December anyway, and that border security funding did include funding for fixing up current fencing and adding some new fencing, etc.

  

But because Trump and his base don't understand that, at this point, the difference in funding for border security vs. a border wall is a distinction without a difference yet this could get held up on that point anyway because people are stupid and can't see that Democrats were always for funding some additional border security that included some additional fencing but moreso they are funding for other, more effective border security than a wall would anyway.

 

Basically, Trump's base should be happier with Democrats for instituting border security that will actually help stem illegal immigration over the border (with more drones, etc.) than a border wall would stop (since everyone has already explained a border wall would be ineffective anyway) yet his base stays on Trump's side for an ineffective border wall than switch sides to the Democrats who are pushing for effective border security, which is WHAT THEY WANT ANYWAY.

 

It hurts the brain. 

Yeah, it's infuriating. If you're just looking at national security or law enforcement effectiveness, we're already dramatically overspending at the southern border. This is an issue that the GOP basically already won, but Trump has managed to turn it into a losing issue even with a winning hand and a winning offer in front of him.

[atom631]

ART OF THE DEAL! 

[marioandsonic]

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-might-consider-other-options-build-wall-even-if-he-n970491

 

Trump also said Tuesday that he didn't think there would be another government shutdown this Friday, which would come on the heels of the longest federal shutdown in U.S. history. But "if you did have it, it's the Democrats' fault," he said.

 

"And I accepted the first one, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished because people learned during that shutdown all about the problems coming in from the southern border," Trump added. "I accept it — I've always accepted it. But this one, I would never accept it if it happens, but I don't think it's going to happen. But this would be totally on the Democrats."