Forget about what you think about President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s personalities — one of them is winning the government shutdown and one of them is losing.
Pelosi’s petulant decision to rescind an invitation to the president of the United States was a blunder, but it was seen as petty and small. President Trump had multiple options on the table. He could have gone to the Senate, to the border, to a state capitol or to the Flora-Bama, as Alabama State Auditor Jim Zeigler suggested.
He could have had an event on that night in any swing state in front of a crowd of friendlies and called it the “People’s State of the Union” and delivered a well-thought-out address to Americans on the current state of our union.
He could have talked about the lowest unemployment since November of 1969 in spite of a government shutdown.
He could have talked about America’s support for Venezuela’s new government as they attempt to shake their socialist shackles.
He could have talked about America’s need for a border wall and the victims of decades of inaction, as Congressman Mo Brooks (AL-5) did last week.
He would have had a bully pulpit, he would have had a situation that the media would have had to carry live and he would have had the attention of the world.
But he blinked.
Donald Trump blinked, he backed down, he acquiesced and he handed Nancy Pelosi a victory that she never should have been given.
Pelosi has not modified her position on reopening the government from day 1 to day 34. She shot down the president’s attempt at a compromise before he even offered it. She has shown no sign of compromise, and Trump just rewarded her for it.
Why would she soften her stance and come to the table? She has no incentive to do so.
He lost and she won — this will not change.
The only option left for the president to get a shot at getting funding for a border wall is for him to declare a national emergency and move on.
@TheDaleJackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN
