TPM: The Art Of The Kneel: How Trump's Tactics Kept Shrinking His Wall
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Conservatives are consoling themselves with Trump’s strong hints that he’ll declare a national emergency on the border in order to try and secure more funds for his wall.
“If the president were to sign this bill based on the contours of what has been reported and suggested as in the bill, and did nothing else, it would be political suicide. If he signed the bill, based on the way that we believed the bill to be, and takes other methods to obtain funding for additional border security measure, than I think there is very little political liability from conservatives,” Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-NC) said.
But that move is legally questionable and will likely get tied up in court — potentially for the remainder of Trump’s first term as president.
Trump’s net favorability was -9.3 on the day he forced a government shutdown in late December. That number dropped to -14.5 by the time he allowed the government to reopen in late January. It’s since recovered a bit, and past shutdowns’ political effects have been relatively minimal over the long term, but it’s unclear if his already-dismal numbers will bounce back to a place where he can win reelection.
The shutdown permanently cost the U.S. economy $3.6 billion, according to the Congressional Research Service. Trump’s poll numbers took a major hit. And all he has to show for it is 55 miles of fencing, with the fate of his long-demanded wall looking bleaker than ever.
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https://talkingpointsmemo.com/dc/the-art-of-the-kneel-how-trumps-tactics-kept-shrinking-his-wall
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