Preparing his 2019 State-of-the-Union Speech, 72-year-old President Donald Trump hopes to heap more pressure on House and Senate Democrats working on the House-Senate Conference Committee to fashion a compromise on his demand for $5.7 billion in border barrier funding. While a Feb. 15 deadline looms, there’s been no breakthroughs so far, hinting that Democrats wom’t compromise on Trump’s request for funding. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have shown no interest in negotiating with Trump on a border barrier. Both insist that a border barrier is the worst way to deal with the refugee crisis, including human and drug trafficking on the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump looks poised to preach to the choir tomorrow night on the need of more border fence. If Trump focuses on the border, it will fall on deaf ears to Democratic.
Acknowledging there are problems on the U.S.-Mexico border, no House of Senate Democrat is willing to call the borders problems a crisis. If there’s no extra funding for the border barrier, Trump’s looks poised to declare an emergency on the border, allocating cash from the military to build the fence. Trump plans to parade individuals harmed by illegal immigration, including victims of violence from illegal aliens. Democrats plan to highlight individuals hurt by the record 35-day government shutdown, hurting federal government workers. Pushing too hard to make his point on more border barrier funding, Trump could hurt his cause with the House-Senate Conference Committee not yet done negotiating before the Feb. 15 deadline. Instead of pounding the border-fence issue, Trump would be well-advised to focus more the booming U.S. economy.
Democrats’ plan to repudiate Trump on the border crisis, sharing stories on federal workers devastated by the 35-day shutdown. Rep. Alexandra Ocassio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) plans to bring an activist opposed to the nomination of Supreme Court Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh. While beating a dead horse, letting Kavanaugh activist Anna Maria Archila tell her story of confronting former Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Az.), speaks loudly to the Democrat base. Today’s Democrat base, led Pelosi, wants to confront Trump on all issues, not looking for compromise or cooperation. Rep. Bonne Wattson Coleman (D-N.J.), looks to highlight Guatemalan Victoria Morales who was illegally fired from Trump National Golf Resort. Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), a Democrat candidate for president, plans to invite an air traffic controller who lost her home in the Woolsey Fire, harmed by the government shutdown.
Sen. Jeff Markley (D-Ore.) expects to showcase a mother and daughter from Guatemala who were impacted by the Trump’s separation policy. “This child separation policy came from a dark and evil place within the heart of this administration,” Merkeley said. Merkeley wants to prevent any future immigration policy that separates parents from their children. “Innocent children suffered because of deeds that were carried out in our names and using or tax dollars as Americans . . .” said Merkeley, hoping to prevent future border separations. Trump’s reliance of Immigration and Custom’s Enforcement [ICE], Border Patrol and local law enforcement is bound to antagonize Democrats’ immigrant base. Focusing his State-of-the-Union on the border wall is bound to boomerang for Trump. Highlighting the strong performance of the U.S. economy presents a stronger case.
Trump no longer has the option of shutting down the government, whether or not he gets his requested border funding. While it’s still possible the House-Senate Conference Committee can fashion some compromise, it’s also possible Democrats will not give Trump any border barrier funding. Judging by Pelosi’s recent comments against border fence funding, Trump isn’t likely to see much compromise. Democrats think they have a winning issue heading into 2020 when it comes to opposing border fence funding. Democrats have amassed a hefty rebuttal to Trump’s speech, especially if it focuses on dangers presented by illegal aliens. If Trump focuses only on the dangers of illegal immigration, drug and human trafficking, Democrats have a strong defense already planned. Shifting to the economy or progress in foreign policy, Trump can counteract Democrats’ strategy.
Trump looks to go back to the well to pressure Democrats to give him what he wants when it comes to his border wall. Long gone are the days when Mexico would pay directly for the wall, other than indirectly from revenue generated from the new U.S.-Mexico trade deal. Democrats have loaded both barrels with plenty of examples of ordinary folks harmed by Trump immigration policy. Trump has a strong economy and stock market, attesting to his successful economic policies. Democrats are hard-pressed to concoct metrics that run counter to the Federal Reserve Board or government statistics showing the strongest labor market in 50 years, with U.S. Gross Domestic Product [GDP] poised to continue growing at about 2% in 2019. Focusing only on the victims of illegal immigration promises to receive a strong response from Democrats highlighting failures of shutting down the government.
