thom w wrote:
The government needs to be re opened. There will be plenty of time to debate the wall / fence afterwards. The President (any president) cannot be allowed to blackmail the country into bending to his will. It will start a precedent that neither party should be happy with.
Good point. If Trump declares an emergency to build the wall, would that encourage the next Democrat who becomes President to declare an emergency in health care and impose a single payer system, or declare an emergency regarding c*****e c****e and impose dramatic limits on emissions, or declare a fiscal emergency due to runaway debt and impose draconian taxes on the wealthy? Using emergency powers to address immigration would set a dangerous precedent that Republicans might regret. Solutions to the immigration problem should be resolved through negotiation by Congress and the President, not by throwing a "bye-bye" temper tantrum and abuse of emergency powers.