U.S. Sens. Cory Gardner and Susan Collins, both Republicans, have pitched a perfectly reasonable temporary solution to the impasse that has shuttered part of the federal government.
Gardner, a Colorado conservative and Collins, a Maine moderate, suggest that the government reopen for a period of time and then the two sides can enter into serious negotiation regarding The Wall, which Donald Trump wants to build along our southern border.
Why not? That’s my answer.
Gardner said he backs the president’s call for The Wall. Collins likely isn’t in the same camp. They both want the same thing: a return to work for the 800,000 or so federal workers who have been furloughed — without pay! — while Trump and congressional Democrats haggle over The Wall.
I am not a party to the negotiating, to state the obvious. I dislike intensely the idea of erecting The Wall along our border. I do support enhanced border security.
The shutdown, though, has produced serious collateral damage in this fight between the sides. The federal workers who are now having to live without their income are caught in a vise. They are being whipsawed and kicked around. They deserve better from the federal government that employs them.
Will anyone in D.C. listen to reason? Sens. Gardner and Collins are emerging as lonely voices seeking to be heard above the noise.
For years, we the people have not had a government of the “People”, we have had a government of politicians paid for by special interests. This shut down and the previous shut downs are not entirely on the head of the current president, but is caused by the Democrats vs. the Republicans. Politic is the art of compromise. When have the Democrats and Republicans in recent years ever compromised.
The United States has been a nation of immigrants, and there is nothing wrong with immigrants. However, I expect immigrants to enter our country legally. Be registered as immigrants, get help integrating into our society and workforce and become legal productive citizens and work “FOR” the American dream.
For some strange reason, one party wants immigrants to enter legally and responsibly , and the other party just wants immigrants looking for handouts, who as unregistered votes, will vote for their party to get more handouts. Unfortunately that is not happening.
I have also been in favor of a free press, that responsibly reports both sides of an issue and allows the reader to decide. That doesn’t exist either. The press will only print one side of the issue and obfuscate the other side.
As a result, I cannot trust my government and I can’t trust my source of news.
You state, that Trump is unfit as President. I voted for him, and I am disappointed in many of his actions, but he is still my President, until the next election. However, I can truthfully say that their have been past presidents over the years, that I have been disappointed with, and some I admire for what they accomplished (Both Parties) and some I’m disappointed with because some of their actions (both parties).
We need Border Security, we need to protect American Jobs, we need to address Global Warming, we need to become more self sufficient with energy.
Being from an oil producing state….. and I like driving my car, I realize we need a cleaner source of energy. Currently electric vehicles can take care of short trips and city driving. But to drive to Lubbock (135 miles) and be forced to stay overnight at a hotel to recharge my car so I can get back’ is not feasible. And not many hotels have charging facilities at this point. Our infrastructure is not yet geared to electric vehicles.
Recently a car manufacturer announced the closure of several plants, because Americans are buying trucks and SUVs over sedans. ( yes, I own a Crossover vehicle too.) With this closure, many employees are out of a job, their cities and businesses in those cities will suffer as well. Then that same company announces that they will be moving their truck assembly plant to Mexico. What’s wrong with this picture?
My solution is, build the wall. Integrate current immigrants into our society and help them become Americans. Continue to work toward cleaner energy and slow down climate change. Make companies who close American manufacturing and move them to a foreign country, to forfeit some of all of their tax breaks (moving factories to Mexico, while Mexican Immigrants come to our country to find work seems somewhat oxymoronic.
Require our elected officials to work together for the good of the country as a whole.
Find a responsible press who report all of the facts and not distort the facts or omit the facts they don’t like.