The Impending End Of The Shutdown
FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | January 24, 2019
“The government shutdown has been a disaster for the country, a disaster for millions of Americans, and a political disaster for Trump. We may well see the government shutdown end soon.”
We soon may be headed for the end of the government shutdown and the pain it is has inflicted on millions of Americans.
The first sign came when Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell finally decided to get off the sidelines and become involved. McConnell has played key roles in the past in settling deadlocks over appropriations bills and government funding.
The second sign came when Majority Leader McConnell and Senator Chuck Schumer agreed to hold votes today on Trump’s proposal and the Democrats’ proposal. Both proposals are expected to fail to receive the 60 votes they need.
The third sign came when House Democrats indicated they would be willing to provide the $5.7 billion Trump wanted but only for border security, with none of the money available to be spent on Trump’s wall. This has narrowed the differences to wall or no wall.
The door is now open for McConnell, Schumer, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to negotiate a deal to end the shutdown.
But the biggest sign that we may be headed for an end to the shutdown soon is the fact that President Trump is getting killed in public opinion polls.
A new CBS News poll found 59 percent disapproval ratings for Trump’s job performance, the highest Trump disapproval in that poll since Trump took office. A new Politico/Morning Consult poll found a disapproval rating of 57 percent for Trump, the highest it has ever been in that poll.
A new Associated Press-NORC poll found Trump’s approval rating at 34 percent, near the lowest approval rating for Trump in this poll during his presidency. The poll found that 71 percent of independents, 71 percent of women, and 76 percent of college graduates disapproved of Trump’s job performance.
These numbers reflect the public’s strong negative reaction to the way Trump has handled the shutdown. Trump needs the shutdown to end quickly.
The government shutdown has been a disaster for the country, a disaster for millions of Americans, and a political disaster for Trump. We may well see the government shutdown end soon.
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Fred Wertheimer is the Founder and President of Democracy 21, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that works to strengthen our democracy and ensure the integrity and fairness of government decisions and elections. See previous Notes from Fred here.
