Senators finally had a chance today to reopen the government immediately and leave debate on Trump’s border wall for another day. All but six Republican Senators ruined that chance, and so the #TrumpShutdown continues.
Despite the GOP majority in the Senate, Trump’s phony compromise got even fewer votes.
Meanwhile, Trump administration officials continue to prove what we’ve known all along—that they are callous, cruel, and completely out of touch. Their comments on the shutdown are all the evidence we need:
- Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross: “I don’t really quite understand why” federal workers are going to food banks and homeless shelters. Ross also said he was disappointed that air traffic controllers (who are not being paid) are calling in sick.
- Senior Campaign Adviser Lara Trump: “It’s a little bit of a pain, but it’s going to be for the future of the country…and generations after them will thank them for their sacrifice right now.”
Let’s also remember that President Trump himself said that he “can relate” to the federal workers relying on shelters and foodbanks for essentials. Has he ever had to decide between rent and chemo? Has he ever had $1.06 in his bank account?
Trump and the GOP are losing this fight—a fight they insist on having over a racist wall that Americans don’t want. Trump’s last stand against Pelosi is over. It’s long past time for the shutdown to end, too.
THINKING CAP: STRENGTH IN NUMBERS.
When the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in Janus v. AFSCME last summer, some predicted it would be a nail in the coffin for labor unions. But, according to Lee Saunders, the president of AFSCME (the largest trade union for public sector employees), the state of labor unions is actually strong.
Despite constant attacks from wealthy special interests working to lower wages for working people and decimate public sector unions, unions have defied their expectations and are enjoying a bout of popularity not seen in years among Americans. For more, listen to the episode here.