Monday, January 22, 2018 marks day three of the latest government shutdown. As a result of the absurd gridlock in Washington, Congress remains in disarray.
On Friday, Democrats chose not to support a spending bill which would have kept the government up and running, however, Republicans are not guiltless in this current state of political chaos either. Politicians on both sides have consistently refused to compromise and work with each other, convinced that if their counterparts across the aisle were simply more reasonable, the government would still be up and running.
While Republicans and Democrats disagree on countless policy issues, over the past few weeks immigration has driven the deepest wedge. President Trump and many members of the GOP are eager to secure border wall funding and halt visa lottery programs and chain migration. Democrats, however, remain adamant about securing a DACA deal for the thousands of young illegal immigrants, more commonly referred to as Dreamers.
The determination to seal this deal is also what prompted the Democrats to reject Friday’s spending bill, thus shutting down the government. Many Republicans criticized Democrats for this, noting that the deadline for a DACA resolution is weeks away. The GOP also opined that Democrats are essentially prioritizing illegal immigrants over American citizens.
A compromise is in order.
Thankfully, the President also appears to be thinking along these lines. According to ABC News, President Trump has affirmed his willingness to grant the “Dreamers” legal status if the Democrats agree to fund the Southern border wall. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has also expressed a willingness to take such a deal. However, it is not enough for President Trump and Chuck Schumer to come to an agreement. Other Republicans and Democrats must get together and vote accordingly.
Americans are not happy with the current state of government, and understandably so. A government shutdown is unacceptable and one of the greatest marks of failure. Thankfully, it appears as though members of Congress are coming to their senses and realizing that they will have to work with one another to make headway and fulfill their promises to the American people.
Moments ago, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that Democrats would vote to return the government to full functionality. However, he also noted that their fight for “Dreamers” will persist:
“We will vote to reopen the government. We will continue to fight for the Dreamers in the weeks ahead.”
The vote will fund the government between now and February 8, 2018. Hopefully, legislators on both sides of the aisle have learned their lessons. The ability to compromise is important if we want to make any headway on important issues facing Americans.
President Trump is expected to share remarks later today regarding the Congressional resolution which prompted the reopening of the U.S. government. Going forward, hopefully Republicans and Democrats will both remember the importance of working together for the greater good of America.
