Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Tired Of All The Winning Yet?


The Continuing Resolution keeping the Federal Government open until September was a victory -- for now -- of governance over nihilism. As such, it's a victory of the Democratic Party over a divided Republican Party:
Democrats think they have set the stage to block President Trump’s legislative priorities for years to come by winning major concessions in a spending bill to keep the government open. 
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) secured nearly $5 billion in new domestic spending by exploiting disagreements between Trump and GOP lawmakers over spending priorities. 
Democrats’ lopsided victory on the five-month deal, which is likely to be approved this week, means it will be very difficult — if not impossible — for the GOP to exert its will in future budget negotiations, including when it comes to Trump’s 2018 budget blueprint. [snip] 
In addition to the $5 billion in domestic spending, the bipartisan agreement released early Monday morning is packed with Democratic priorities, such as protection for funding for Planned Parenthood, a permanent extension of health care for coal miners and money to help Puerto Rico make up a projected shortfall in Medicaid.
The reaction from bestest negotiator Donald "Rump" Trump when he heard that Democrats were celebrating was characteristically childish:



An rare adult in the room must've subsequently convinced the Giant Toddler that saying those things made him look weak (like a loser!), so hours later he was claiming it was "a clear win for the American people." No lie that -- any defeat for Rump is a clear win for the American people.

As far as claims that Rump helped in the negotiations?
... Trump’s involvement was seen by many congressional aides as unhelpful to reaching a deal in the bipartisan talks. Negotiators were nearing an agreement on the spending portions and were ready to move on to unrelated policy measures when [OMB Director Mick] Mulvaney publicly renewed demands that the bill include money for a wall along the southern border. 
Mulvaney’s demand was out of sync with GOP leaders, who long ago said they wouldn’t seek any funding for a wall or cuts to sanctuary city funding.
So you could say Rump's involvement was "The Shart of the Deal" (we just did!).

(Image: c/o Wonkette)

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