22nd January 2018, 3:45 PM
So, hmm... a deal is done, and a lot of liberals are angry about it because it doesn't get DACA through now. As my previous posts suggest though, I am less upset. Now, the deal is not ideal. It would have been much better if DACA had been in this deal, but it's not good to have the government be shut down so for now I'm okay with this deal. While there is some cause for concern, I think that some critics of this deal are going way too far. Basically, I'm thinking of this shutdown as a warning shot -- a Democratic statement that we need a DACA bill, and that the far right's horribly anti-American opposition to having any kind of DACA deal, never mind much legal immigration, cannot win the day. Three weeks is not long, and if McConnell goes back on his word (which he could, as he only said he "intends" to bring up a DACA bill, not that he definitely will), or if the House and President do not pass whatever DACA bill the Senate passes, there will be another shutdown, and that time the other hostage, CHIP, will be gone; CHIP is funded for six years now.
Yes, I know cynics are saying 'well in three weeks they'll just cave again', but I doubt it. The main point of this shutdown was for DACA, and I think that the Democrats care enough about that program to not just stand by and watch it end with no response that gets it back. The Dems may give up too easily way too often, but I don't think even this party would do THAT.
So with this shutdown, the Dems showed that they are serious about immigration. If nothing happens there will be another shutdown, though I very much hope there isn't, and that a deal gets through to avoid it. If another shutdown does happen though, with the CHIP hostage freed now and with it being closer to that pseudo-DACA deadline in March, there will be no reason to give in for only nebulous promises next time. Figuring the budget and DACA out is what the next three weeks are for.
So, as a final thought, for now who won or lost this really isn't known because that depends on what happens over the next few weeks. Given how much more political power Republicans have than Democrats and with how much Trump is listening to the worst voices on immigration getting a good deal through will be hard, but despite the challenges if they actually vote on it passage should be able to happen. If the Dems end up with a signed, decent DACA bill out of this in the end, as they should, then this was a victory. Again, consider that the anti-immigrant right wants NO DACA, less legal immigration, etc, etc -- stopping those people and getting DACA through again WOULD be a definite win.
Yes, I know cynics are saying 'well in three weeks they'll just cave again', but I doubt it. The main point of this shutdown was for DACA, and I think that the Democrats care enough about that program to not just stand by and watch it end with no response that gets it back. The Dems may give up too easily way too often, but I don't think even this party would do THAT.
So with this shutdown, the Dems showed that they are serious about immigration. If nothing happens there will be another shutdown, though I very much hope there isn't, and that a deal gets through to avoid it. If another shutdown does happen though, with the CHIP hostage freed now and with it being closer to that pseudo-DACA deadline in March, there will be no reason to give in for only nebulous promises next time. Figuring the budget and DACA out is what the next three weeks are for.
So, as a final thought, for now who won or lost this really isn't known because that depends on what happens over the next few weeks. Given how much more political power Republicans have than Democrats and with how much Trump is listening to the worst voices on immigration getting a good deal through will be hard, but despite the challenges if they actually vote on it passage should be able to happen. If the Dems end up with a signed, decent DACA bill out of this in the end, as they should, then this was a victory. Again, consider that the anti-immigrant right wants NO DACA, less legal immigration, etc, etc -- stopping those people and getting DACA through again WOULD be a definite win.
Quote: But thats not even what immigration is though! "They" don't "send us" anyone! They don't! That's not how it works! It's not how it wooooorks!But just like how Donald Trump controls every decision made by every American, other foreign governments do the same for their citizens, right? Isn't that how it works?