The master negotiator and man behind The New York Times bestseller The Art of the Deal is no longer in the mood to play parlor games with the Democrats on Capitol Hill. On Friday, President Trump vowed to veto a resolution that would essentially nullify his declaration of a national emergency to appropriate funding for southern border barriers and enhanced security.
Speaking with reporters, Trump was adamant that the will of the people who demand the border wall will not be snubbed by a Democrat-controlled House which engaged in political grandstanding as it heads into a presidential campaign season:
“Will I veto it? 100 percent. 100 percent. And I don’t think it survives a veto. We have too many smart people that want border security, so I can’t imagine if it survives a veto, but I will veto it.”
The foremost deal maker in America isn’t making deals this week.
What’s Behind Democrat Door #1?
The resolution is spearheaded by Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) and co-sponsored by 226 House Members – no one smells a partisan rat here – and is expected to pass on the floor with a full House vote in the next few days.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) implored her House minions to put Trump in his place:
“President Trump’s emergency declaration proclamation undermines the separation of powers and Congress’s power of the purse, a power exclusively reserved by the text of the Constitution to the first branch of government, the Legislative branch, a branch co-equal to the Executive.”
In short, the resolution states that Trump is trampling on congressional authority and would set a dangerous precedent for presidential overreach – which is eerily reminiscent of the Obama administration and the Affordable Health Care Act. Presidential powers are mighty in the United States of America.
Trump’s emergency decree essentially allows him to re-appropriate funds – to the tune of $3.6 billion – by tapping into the federal asset forfeiture fund and Defense Department reserves.
A Trickier Door #2
If the measure passes the full House vote – as it surely will – it then faces a trickier body: the Republican-controlled Senate. And they will be prone to test the political winds before a vote. Trump is assured his buddies will hit the “on” button for the paper shredder and the Dems will slink off to lick their wounds and regroup.
Or not.
There are a handful of moderates in the Senate who self-identify as Republicans. Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lamar Alexander (R-TN) have signaled intentions to back the House’s play. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is also a question mark as his ideas on border security differ from his president’s view.
It would take only four Republican senators to lose their minds and go against their leader to pass the resolution. The document would then be sent off to the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office for a ceremonial burial as Trump most assuredly has re-inked his veto stamp in anticipation.
If by chance the resolution does make it to Trump, a veto will happen and the Democrats will have wasted weeks, once again, in trying to undo the promises made and being kept by a man whose popularity remains steady at 50% – an infuriating number for the left who just can’t seem to find the man’s Achilles’ heel.
To keep this fight against the president alive may be the ultimate undoing of many leftists. After all, a recent Rasmussen poll of likely U.S. voters found that “59% think border security is a vital national security interest for the United States,” on par with national security concerns over North Korea.
As Trump told the gathered media, “Everybody knows we need border security. We need a wall. I think it’s a very bad subject for the Democrats.”
And it may be getting worse, as he will certainly not be open to making the next big deal on the Hill.
