As the partial federal government shutdown continues as the longest in history, Senate Republicans seemed more inclined to negotiate the re-0opening of some departments and services.
Sen. Lindsey Graham said he told President Trump he should re-open the government temporarily and work on a deal during that time. Some Democrats seemed to be open to the idea.
But on Monday morning, Trump shot down that idea. “I’m not interested,” he said. “I want to get it solved. I don’t want to just delay it. I want to get it solved.”
Trump spent the weekend tweeting various things, both border-wall-related and not, while some suggested that Senate Republicans might be feeling pressure to re-open the federal government.
The Guardian reported, “Graham strove to pull Trump round to serious politicking, even if his previous attempts to change the president’s mind, such as over Syria, have achieved uncertain success at best.”
“Trump wants wall funding before he signs legislation to open the government. House speaker Pelosi will not pass legislation including Trump’s demand for $5.7bn. Senate Republicans will not pass legislation without it,” The Guardian noted.
Sen. Dick Durbin: Shutdown Will End When Trump Realizes He’s Lost Senate Republicans https://t.co/BpEHJhPKYU pic.twitter.com/bjuJlOVx3T
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) January 13, 2019
On ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, Democratic Dick Durbin said the shutdown would likely end when Trump “realizes he’s lost the Senate Republicans.”
On the potential of Trump declaring a national emergency, Durbin said, “Presidents have been very careful in using that. When George W. Bush faced 9/11 he asked us for national emergency powers, we gave it to him on a bipartisan basis, united as a country to fight off terrorism.”
“But if this president is going to turn to national emergencies every time he disagrees with Congress, I’m against it” Durbin said. “Let’s make sure the branches of government are bound by the same Constitution.”
When host George Stephanopoulos asked how the shutdown might end, Durbin responded, “I think it ends when the Senate Republicans say ‘We’ve had enough. We’re not going to stand here and be blamed for this. We believe the government should be opened. There should be timely negotiations on border security after the government is open.'”
“Once the president realizes he’s lost the Senate Republicans, we can roll up our sleeves, open the government and get down to business,” Durbin concluded.