They're back in town, but does it really matter? After failing to end the DHS shutdown or pass any meaningful legislation in the days before or during the Easter recess, the House and Senate return to session this week facing the same to-do list as two weeks ago when they left town. At the top of that list is the DHS shutdown, which even President Trump couldn't force them back to town to address. The shutdown is set to hit the two-month mark this week, as Democrats have repeatedly blocked a clean funding extension. The latest GOP plan is to pass a bill to fund DHS without ICE or Customs and Border Enforcement (CBP), then pass a separate reconciliation bill to fund ICE and CBP without Democrat votes. But that plan doesn't have support among all rank and file Republicans, and it could still take weeks to get the reconciliation bill through.
In the meantime, Democrats are teeing up another vote to restrict President Trump's war powers, which Republicans have been able to block so far. Then there is the SAVE America Act, President Trump's top priority legislation which remains stalled in the Senate, with Senate Majority Leader John Thune reluctant to change the rules to overcome a Democrat filibuster.
In all, it is a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing to show so far. And that might hurt Republicans with their own base this fall. "You could have voter fatigue in the midterms on the Republican side, because they may not see anything passing through legislation," says Chris Begala, political strategist. "Right now, if you were to give Senate Leader (John) Thune a grade, it would be D-minus at best."
"I think President Trump has been very patient so far, because usually he doesn't have much patience," continues Begala. "But Leader Thune hasn't gotten a bloody thing done yet...and I guess we shall see what happens, but right now his contribution is next to nothing."
As for the DHS shutdown, Begala believes it is an unacceptable failure by Congress to do its most basic job. "I, like a lot other Americans, find it exceedingly frustrating," he tells KTRH. "Because we pay our tax dollars, and yet this band of idiots can't even fund the necessary parts that are foundational to our government."
"It's your job, get it done."
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