Avoiding Another Partial Shutdown

Congress has until Friday to come up with a solution for the current budget issues and to avoid triggering another partial shutdown of the federal government. It is unlikely that the Democrats or Republicans want another shutdown and without the influence from the White House…this would probably have been resolved by now. The president, who accepted the continuing resolution two plus weeks ago that he declined in December, seems to be clamoring for another shutdown if he doesn’t get his $5.7 billion for a wall.

This needn’t be that hard given the Democrats interest in improved border security sans a wall. I don’t think the Republicans would find additional border security measures to be that unpalatable either. So here’s the compromise:

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell hammer out a compromise that provides money for additional border security…without a wall…or maybe a bit of money to replace/repair some existing barriers that are in disrepair. Make it clear that they both will deliver a two thirds majority of their respective chambers if the president vetoes the bills. And Senator McConnell just needs to make the president understand…that this is it. This is the bill…this is what he’s gonna get…sign it or not, it will be the law.

Some of the Democrats will bemoan providing funding for any kind of permanent barrier and some Republicans will bemoan not getting the $5.7 billion. Bemoan all you want in public…compromise means giving and getting…and then get behind your leadership and pass the bill! And then you can get on to other matters…like immigration reform!

And if it goes down like that and the president signs it…he can tweet all day that Nancy caved…and Speaker Pelosi can just smile with the knowledge that 534 other members of Congress know what went down. The lynch pin here? Is Senator McConnell still afraid of the president or has he started to see the light?

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