Senate Republicans aren't doing anything to help matters.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's stubborn refusal to allow the Senate to reopen the federal government is getting backed by his fellow GOP senators.
McConnell has locked arms with Trump, blocking repeated efforts to have the Senate vote on reopening the government without wasting billions on Trump's border wall. The stance is not only counterproductive, but it is hypocritical, since the Senate passed similar legislation before Democrats took over the House.
And apparently Republican senators are just fine with that. Instead of putting any pressure on McConnell to work with Democrats, they're propping him up — against the wishes of the vast majority of Americans, who want the government open and do not want the wall.
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) told Politico he agreed with McConnell's stance that the legislature should not "go through this effort of passing something the president won't sign."
Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO), who has given lip service toward reopening the government, refused to criticize McConnell's tactics when the outlet asked him about it. Instead, he dishonestly claimed McConnell was "trying to find a way forward."
Echoing previous comments he made about how Democrats should "bend over backwards" to give Trump his wall and the funding, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN) expressed his support for McConnell and said Trump's request was "reasonable."
Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) admitted that the Republican stance is "not popular," but said McConnell's obstruction and support of the continued shutdown are "correct."
The shutdown is creating havoc from coast to coast, and is now the longest such event in American history. Republicans are completely responsible.
Trump created the crisis and is its primary cause, but he could not get the job done without help from McConnell, who has the vast majority of Senate Republicans aiding and abetting his actions.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
