Anything, ANYTHING to divert attention from Mueller. Even putting government employees out of work. At the holidays. Mr. Trump, you have no shame and no heart.
2
Illegal immigration is the issue that keeps Democrats from winning elections in many districts. Allowing immigrants from anywhere of any race, color or religion to violate our immigration laws, get jobs, start families, and get an education in the economy and society others, including legal immigrants, have built just strikes most American citizens as wrong and unfair. Most American welcome legal, law-abiding, honest and hard-working immigrants from any country but Democrats can't seem to understand the difference between legal and illegal. As long as they can't. they will lose elections they otherwise would have won.
1
If you stop getting your news from cable news networks you may discover that very few democrats are for open borders.
4
@John Few, if any.
This is almost off-topic:
Instead of watching Trump lie, we watched re-runs of Doc Martin.
I thought Trump's speech would be longer, so we enjoyed two episodes. When we awoke from our slumber at Portwenn (the picturesque, fictional fishing village where the show takes place) we found that Manafort's lawyers inadvertently handed Mueller strong evidence of a conspiracy.
It is surprising how much happens while one dwells in a sleepy little town.
2
Watching the Democratic response last night, I was wondering "Where is Senator Schumer's pitchfork?".
1
Thank you DGH, Houston for sharing the link to Jennifer Rubin’s piece in the “Opinion” section of the Washington Post. It makes so much sense and she speaks the truth. I wish this President would start doing so instead of acting like a bully and now like a big baby who only wants his way even if he causes a lot of hurt to our Federal Workers who serve us all so well.
I've noticed the reception abroad of this speech was universally bad fro Trump. Not that he would care much, but it adds to damage to the standing of the US. I would love to know what Putin actually has on Trump.
2
Mass shootings
Opioid crisis
Infrastructure
Healthcare
Wildfires
Hurricanes
Tornados
Crime
Economic inequality
Racism
Mr, President, you don’t need to make stuff up.
5
@Truthinesx
Would that the real issues you list - pressing problems for our country with the most difficult being income inequality and climate change - did matter to Mr. Trump.
2
The Democrats’ response should begin with several minutes of campaign footage of Trump promising that Mexico will pay for the Wall.
2
@Evan His propagandized followers - and those pre-disposed to be of the same thinking as him, without the propaganda, would still believe, or pretend accordingly, that Mexico is going to pay for a wall, and/or that tariffs will pay for the wall. The hard core 35% of voters or more that are in the grasp of his lies, or are of the same personality as him, are going to believe whatever he says, or go along with what he says, no matter the untruth and illogic of it.
Quick question to Trump: Who wrote your speech?
My guess, S.Miller.
3
Just watched them and they could not have been more stiff or less compelling. Advantage, Trump.
1
I am not a Trump supporter, but there is one BIG thing wrong with the Charles Addams portrait of Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer: New York and California. There's a WHOLE big country in between the two. No wonder the defeated in the last campaign suddenly want to do away with the Electoral College. Then we could all be "ruled" by these two perennial brutes in every future race. No thank you.
1
Bravo Schumer and Pelosi! Get in the last word and steal his stage! I'm far more interested in hearing what the two of you have to say that listening to the toddler ramble.
Great move! Keep it going.
10
Watching the Schumer/ Pelosi reponse to Trump's border wall speech, then that of Bernie Sanders, I was struck by the empathy shown by Bernie most of all - empathy to the government workers who are not receiving paychecks, and empathy as well to the millions of Americans who work hard but can't afford to pay their bills. Watching his passion made me sad yet again that the race got rigged against him in 2016.
5
@Ellen
Please tell me you still voted HRC. I too supported Bernie but understood that my obligation as a citizen was to vote.
2
I'm sorry: THIS he wants to call an "national emergency" but somehow the massive wildfires and landslides and hurricanes and other horrors besetting our fellow Americans from coast to coast and beyond (yes, Puerto Rican's are American citizens) and RUSSIANS successfully CONSPIRING to TAMPERING with our NATIONAL ELECTIONS in order to GIVE TRUMP the OVAL Office hardly warrant a glance by His Ignorance & Ignominy in Chief?!
44
I’m 55 and remember Oval Office speeches going back to Nixon. I cannot recall ‘the opposition’ ever getting time to make an opposing speech. Especially opposition as shrill, vacuous & hypocritical as these two. I will not watch.
12
@Alan That's because no president has ever lied so often, blatantly, and misleadingly. When our president is giving at best misleading and manipulative facts and statements to fear monger, it is the duty of the people and the opposition to check the authorities lies. That is exactly what the Democratic response is.
12
There have been many responses immediately after presidential speeches. First one I remember was Bob Dole presenting the “contract with America” right after a Clinton state of the union. Do your research.
8
Well, there’s nothing normal about this, now is there. The president has never shut the government down over a made up crisis for political points.
6
Schumer and Pelosi should read this opinion piece by Jennifer Rubin today. Don't give a millimeter. The networks should try to fact check real time, although Trump lies so fast and so often that it's almost impossible to do.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/01/08/what-democrats-need-say/
22
Was hoping for Alec Baldwin!
15
Ask trump & mc connell WHY the wall was not funded in the last two years when the gOP had majority control of both house & senate.
37
I must concur with the growing frustration that many (most?) of us have regarding the collusion between Donald Trump and Mitch McConnell...Mr. McConnell's authoritarian stranglehold on the Senate - his refusal to heed the requests... nay, the demands, of the people, and the House, is a failure of leadership in it's own right, just as his "crony" in the White House is failing in his sworn duties to uphold the Constitution and meet the needs of the American People. Both these men are examples of the very worst kind of self-serving, disruptive authoritarian repression. Both of them are worthy of being tried, and then removed from office! The sooner, the better! They are both despicable, and in McConnell's case, totally wrapped up in his personal and corrupt views about who it is he is supposed to be serving in Congress. He is a representative of the People of these United States. And yet, he compounds the President leadership failures with a failure to represent the people he is supposed to serve.
27
Schumer and Pelosi need to send the simplest clearest message. Mr. President use your pen and Open the government right now.
17
@AAA - No I think that Trump should shut down the Department of Health and Human Services. Only than will he prove that it is the Democrats that are dependent on government handouts.
AAA, How about "There you go again.", as per St. Ronnie.
1
@Rickey
I think that the practice of handing out what is referred to as Corporate Welfare is also what is meant to be a "Reverse Robin Hood."
Do you remember Robin Hood? In the story of Reverse Robin Hood, Mueller is the Sherriff of Nottingham.
I hope they keep their message simple and straightforward.
The best counter to Trump’s nonsense is that border protection has only used about 10% of the funds allocated to them this past year. The real emergency is Trump’s incompetence at running the executive.
16
All the networks should do in real time a running count of the untruths Trump utters, in simple terms such as Half-True, False or Deliberately Misleading. Display the number of the lie, its category and a brief lead of the lie on the crawl below the screen. Turn it into a game show!
11
@Think Of One- Please share us one lie the POUTS said tonight. Pelosi and Schumer both lied about the effectiveness of a wall. After all they both supported border security until Trump was elected, but I guess you already knew that?
@Rickey:
The info you request is on Page 1, NYT, today, top story, center, two (2) column width: Fact Checking Trump.
1
Look at this!!!
Readers Trump is going to McAllen Texas this Thursday to stir up support for the wall. Yet, the GOP Congressman stationed there, Will Hurd DOES NOT SUPPORT the Trump Wall as Trump campaigns for. Hurd has some v good ideas for border security NOT a stupid Trump Wall!
https://www.pbs.org/video/rep-hurd-technology-more-cost-effective-than-border-wall-1503532270/
14
@Rickey
It sounds as if you don't like people from Silicon Valley. Here is what I found on Wiki about Cupertino, CA:
"In 2015, Forbes ranked Cupertino as one of the most educated places in the U.S. in respect to the percentage of high school and college graduates.[8] An affluent area, Cupertino is the nation's 11th wealthiest city with a population over 50,000. It is known as the home of Apple Inc.'s corporate headquarters."
Dear lord. The democrats can't even unite to come up with a response.
7
@Laila, They share responsibilities like grown-ups.
2
I think more people believe in better border security. Trump and the GOP lost many believers by all the time attacking healthcare expecting Americans to accept junkcare that covers nothing.
7
This is just way too much like a tawdry reality show. Can somebody just please step up and behave like an adult?
10
Only six immigrants in terrorism database stopped by CBP at southern border from October to March.The low number contradicts statements by Trump administration officials.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/only-six-immigrants-terrorism-database-stopped-cbp-southern-border-first-n955861
Is that a crisis?
13
@M
So if we spend $950 million each to stop them we will Make America Grate Again ?
6
Clearly they made the wrong choice for Democratic speakers to respond. Both are tightly tied to the big money establishment side of the party and will, rightly or wrongly, turn off a lot of people. A more considered choice of speaker should have been made, but then these two and their groups are already well past their sell by date and pretty tone def to the new reality.
Pelosi should be busy scheduling televised hearings in the House with appropriate experts on border security to show the uselessness of the Wall and Dems should agree to 5 billion for true border security like electronics, more personnel , more immigration judges, etc, as recommended by experts.
4
Lol really? Pelosi is Trump's worst nightmare. She could out debate him with one hand tied behind her back.
19
To be fair, a third grader with age-appropriate command of the English language could out-debate him easily... But yes, I like the choice of Nancy Pelosi, she knows exactly which of his buttons to push.
3
I'm not sure I understand how it's "fractious" for the Democrats to deliver a rebuttal to Trump, and then, later for an Independent who IS NOT A DEMOCRAT, to deliver, you know, an Independent Rebuttal.
16
Can’t wait to hear their plan for border security. Apparently it’s so complicated it takes both of them to define it.
5
@Jackson: Comprehensive immigration policy is indeed complex and complicated. Yes, you can build a wall along the borders, not just the Southern, but also the coasts and the border with Canada, and put a lid on the USA, but that has its own cons... Just like health care - "Who could have thought health care was so complicated?" (Trump). And you have to actually listen and think and weigh the arguments from various experts and stakeholders, which takes time but ultimately leads to good decision-making. It cannot be explained in a soundbite and you cannot make immigration policy on the go, using your gut for guidance...
18
@JacksonI absolutely cannot agree more with your comment. very succinct and to the point.
4
First, I don't think Chuck and Nancy are the best faces for the rebuttal. I would have preferred Durban. Second, the rebuttal should focus on the shutdown. trump caused the shutdown, and Republicans are keeping it going. Remind people of this, over and over again. Democrats have done all they can do since they hold power in only one of the two legislative branches. What they did was vote to keep the government open, with the CR applying to all the other departments until the end of the fiscal year, and opening Homeland Security for a month to negotiate a comprehensive solution. Mitch McConnell can take a step in opening the government by allowing the Senate the opportunity to vote on the House bills. If trump vetoes them, Congress has the constitutional power to override the vetoes. Democrats should also point out that if there is an emergency as trump claims, shutting down the government is a stupid way of dealing with it. Also highlight the impact it is having on government employees. Close the argument by reminding people that Democrats will continue to try to open the government.
If the Democrats end up arguing with trump over the facts and details of an the wall and border security at this point, the Democrats are going to loose. Focus on the shutdown.
12
I certainly remember Everett Dirksen:
"Do you remember the Ev and Charlie Show -- the name given to those press conferences given when Dirksen and Halleck would appear together?"
For those who don't, the word "curmudgeon" should be defined as "like Everett Dirksen." He spoke many famous lines, but I remember most this one:
"A billion here, a billion there -- before you know it, you're talking real money!"
I don't think Dirksen was talking about a wall, but we've had many "walls" before. We always end up paying for them by issuing more bonds -- i.e. borrowing from future generations (who will probably do the same thing when their turn comes). That's how we've ended up with a $20,000,000,000,000 national debt. What's another $5.7 billion on top of that?
3
Let's hope UNBIASED real time fact checking will occur. Sadly, my impression is that fact checkers themselves are often biased.
2
Do you have any recent examples?
6
@John: Facts are facts, they are unbiased.
3
There seems to be some confusion on networks' "patriotism," as this comment indicates:
"I don't think the networks had much of a choice. Convention would dictate that a President, speaking from the Oval Office, would be aired in prime time as requested."
Several years back, President Obama was planning to deliver an Oval Office speech on immigration, and planned to ask the networks to give him a prime-time slot for it. Obama sent out aides to see how the networks might respond to such a request. All of them said "no." So much for not having "a choice," eh?
19
Nancy, Chuck: rebut Trump’s nonsensical claims, and drive home the point that McConnell is the problem- refusing to consider the several spending bills that will end the shutdown. Point out that the only agency funding still in question is Homeland Security, and you are ready to discuss it.
15
@ThePB
I'd like to see them read a sentence or two from the Constitution and shake their heads sadly.
Speaker Pelosi, whose position is theoretically non-partisan, should address the Constitutional issues and leave the partisan part of the response to Leader Schumer.
2
If he gets away with calling this a national emergency, then what stops him from using the "National Emergency" excuse to shut down the Mueller inquiry?
.
While America is distracted by this never-ending clown show, China is not sleeping. Russia is not sleeping.
.
Everything that America won in WWII is being thrown overboard, hand over fist.
.
Mithc McConnell this is your doing. You could end this nonsense, today.
47
@Richard Blaine: I wonder what Putin (and/or the Chinese) have on Mitch McConnell and/or how much they pay him. It's not just Trump.
5
@Richard Blaine And what will stop him from declaring a "national emergency" to postpone/cance elections in 2020?
4
Trump is truly doomed. All that is left is the spectacle of him flailing around in some hopeless effort to keep his "base" in belief mode.
Everyone has a tolerance level.Today's evidence of Trump's collusion with the Russians via Manafort is one of the final nails in his well deserved coffin.
28
Bernie Sanders is giving the Independent Party response - NOT a separate Democratic response - don't get it twisted with Bernie again. The Tea Party were still Republicans!! BERNIE IS NOT a Democrat!!!
19
@Scrumpie0
Great. And then you could remind him of his Independent status when he enters the race to be 2020 Democratic presidential nominee?
5
@Scrumpie0
Did you watch Senator Sanders' response? Impassioned, excellent, on the money.
1
So where are the Senate Republicans who could break this impasse? Probably doing a Pontius Pilot and washing their hands of any responsibility. Who me a Senator? Cowards all.
22
"Mr. Trump.... is now using the powers of the presidency to focus public attention on his ominous immigration message".
Shame on all the TV stations having denied time for President Obama talking about Immigration Reform which was already voted upon in the House, considering it too "political".
Ominous immigration messages, full of lies, crazy exaggerations are de rigeur for a nutty con-man, while facts, truth and logical thinking have gone out the window.
29
There is a national emergency.
It is Trump.
He will not shut up and since everything that comes out of his mouth is a lie, including the silence between the words, he will be true to form anytime he has an audience.
This talk is pure propaganda, aimed at his storm troopers, the frustrated mass that voted for him and, to use his own words, Would even vote for him if he shot someone on Fifth Avenue.
Whatever the Dems say is equally worthless.
No one is listening.
Meanwhile, both parties are dancing their pathetic, predictable dances while Rome burns.
12
If he lies, and they don't call him a liar - point blank - then it will hardly be worth it.
13
For Schumer and Pelosi:
Your first and foremost communication job is this:
"Where are the pesos? Where are the pesos?"
(from Steve Schmidt)
19
Please be sure to emphasize "He said Mexico would pay for it." Again, and again, and again.
19
If the Nationalist emergency is alive today, it was alive in October and November when the GOP ruled the House, Senate, and White House. In fact, it was alive for the past two years. Why didn't the party that wants it so badly vote on then? Why didn't they vote on it in January 2018, when trump was offered $20b?
The answer in two words: the midterms!
Or:
Perhaps the GOP believed trump when he said Mexico would pay for the wall. Maybe that is why the GOP did not propose, debate and pass legislation to make US taxpayers turn-and-cough-up $20b before the mid-terms!
Now we are in the two-year ramp-up to the 2020 elections.
Ready for your physical?
9
Hope these two save their own words and just run the film clip of Trump saying he would accept 100% responsibility for and be proud to shut down the government.
13
@Bruce
Oh, and the film clips of trump saying:
Mexico would pay, and
trump can relate to workers, and
business would go easy on workers without checks, and
workers are mostly Democrats
...
3
This president is not qualified for prime time. He should be on at 3:00 against the other soap operas.
21
Democrats;
History is replete with examples of cultivated hate and anger meant to empower the powerful. Talk about it.
Are we now becoming a nation of hate and intolerance? Are we no longer united? Has freedom become the mantle and shield of immorality? Will America put forth the hard question; Who are we as a nation?
Speak truth to lies. Render justice upon injustice.
Speak your mind, not your caution.
9
Stealing that last sentence.
Agreed, but it won't happen:
"We can ... fine employers not using e verify..."
Toward the end of George W. Bush's second term, he introduced an immigration-reform bill that he thought would be a slam-dunk winner. He soon withdrew it, though, when his Republican-donor friends explained to him that the "e-Verify" part of the bill was "problematic." Turns out they thought it was just fine to bring in foreign workers who'd accept less than minimum wage and keep their mouths shut.
While some illegal immigrants plan not to work once they get here, that is unusual. Most illegal immigrants come here for jobs, and many US employers welcome them with open arms -- as long as they accept less than minimum wage and keep their mouths shut.
Works out well for everyone -- except, of course, the American workers who didn't get hired because they expected to be paid at least the minimum wage.
As I recall, we survived without "strawberries in January" when I was growing up. If some California strawberry grower can't make ends meet with American labor, I'm OK with that.
7
Do you remember the Ev and Charlie Show -- the name given to those press conferences given when Dirksen and Halleck would appear together? They looked and sounded ridiculous and they were fodder for comedians. Now we are going to have the Nancy and Chuck Show. And it will do as much for the Democrats as Ev and Charlie did for the Republicans. With a public persona like this for the Democrats, Trump can start planning for his second inaugural.
1
There is no emergency. Trump is whipping up his base to distract from his troubles with graft and corruption. He is also essentially getting free airtime to kick off his re-election campaign.
Senator Sanders response does not mean there is a fractious party- he is an independent Progressive like I am. We support some things the Democrats do, but not everything and certainly not in lockstep like the GOP.
2
Who is much more popular than Pelosi and Schumer, and the most focussed and on track with the issues?
Bernie Sanders.
He'd give the most effective rebuttal.
5
@F. T. Bernie's streaming a response, on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Approximately 6:30 PM.
@F. T.
He's also not a Democrat.
@Lex Is it really necessary to be a Democrat, to counter Trump? I'd say, All hands on deck. (Especially a well-liked and focussed hand.)
The Democratic response should only deal with border and all other illegal entry issues. No haranguing and pontificating about the government shutdown, family separation, DACA, racism, American values and comprehensive immigration reform. Trump has already succeeded in reducing all immigration issues to one symbol, "The Wall." Democrats have failed to convince the American people that they are serious about stopping illegal entries and Trump has exploited their messaging weakness. They really have only themselves to blame for this show-down. This is a chance to change their image as the "open borders" party.
1
It's good that the dems will respond. However, I'm skeptical that they can present a cogent yet succinct rebuttal with cleaer and pointed facts that are easily digested. A touchy-feely rebuttal that is based on Pelosi's claim that the wall is immoral will not cut it.
Indeed, they must counter Trump's claim that they refuse to compromise by reminding him: last year, in a televised meeting, you claimed you'd accept any offer and would take the heat. We offered 25 billion dollars in exchange for DACA. But then you melted in the heat by the Freedom Caucus and Stephen Miller. In fact, they should rerun the video of the meeting. Furthermore, since Trump wants to end family migration and unification, they should demand that in such as case, Melania's family should be repatriated to their home country.
1
Not the most convincing choices if you're trying to convince the opposition of the facts. Pelosi will be better than Schumer, but the Senate would be better represented by a younger representative - perhaps from the judiciary committee.
1
I wouldn't worry about anyone forgetting this:
"Sanders is an independent, not a Democrat. ... May we never forget that again."
As I recall, Hillary Clinton supporters mentioned this every 3 minutes or so during the 2016 campaign. Before there was Trump, in other words, there was Bernie.
1
@MyThreeCents
Something you've also heard repeatedly is that he was thoroughly trounced by Hillary.
@MyThreeCents Sanders is only hope to cut the rot out of the body politic.
I refuse to listen to the minority elected president. I will listen to the other side who represents the majority.
6
Will the networks and cable news be giving them free, commercial-free air time as well?
Trump's planned address and the (alleged) reason for it seem rather overdetermined, no?
Trump and certain of his goblinlike advisors, both foreign and domestic, likely created a situation they could label a "national emergency" in order to move one step closer to asserting martial law and making him de facto America's first actual dictator.
Pray that I am wrong about the aforementioned scenario.
2
This will sound exaggerated, over the top. But I mean every word.
Ms. Pressley reminds me of Dr. Martin Luther King.
I'm not thinking here of the celebrated "Dream" speech. No need to. You find the same thing in virtually everything Dr. King ever said or wrote:
That mysterious, God-given ability to HIT THE NAIL ON THE HEAD!. To say--exactly and in the best words possible--what HAD TO BE SAID.
I recall hearing a snippet of Mr. King quoted somewhere once. Encouraging his followers not to lose heart--even should they be (briefly) incarcerated. Their indomitable spirit, he told them, would transform cells and dungeons "into havens of victory."
Wow!
I sense the same marvelous power in Ms. Pressley's one-minute response to Mr. Trump and his nefarious shut-down. No fancy Latinate words (I say this as a sometime Latin teacher)--no big words--
--JUST THE TRUTH.
Expressed as briefly, as forcefully as possible--
--and FLUNG into that scowling face. You know. The one underneath all that weird hair.
All she can do, right now, is speak. Speak out. But don't be disheartened, Ms. Pressley.
Sometimes that's exactly what the country NEEDS.
Like right now.
So thank you. More power to you!
I wish you the best.
4
@Susan Fitzwater Well stated! We desperately need this honesty and clarity now.
You know what’s a real national emergency in the US?
Mass shootings.
The number of mass shootings — defined by three or more casualties in a single event — was a near daily occurrence across the country in 2018 and 2017. We always read about the big headlines like Parkland, Las Vegas, and Sandy Hook, but it happens daily on a smaller scale. Still no sensible gun laws. Still no state of emergency.
If Trump declares the Mexico border a national emergency he is setting a precedent that the next Democrat president ought to follow to enact reasonable restrictions on firearms.
5
Why do the Dems have constantly clean up after GOP debacles? The GOP had two straight years to take care of this and did nothing.
The Dems got record-high support for their anti-Trump platform in the midterms. They were elected specifically NOT to fund a wall that the GOP previously did not fund.
No wall ‘til healthcare for all.
6
"Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont... also plans to make a public response to Mr. Trump... The move was reminiscent of how a fractious Republican Party responded to State of the Union addresses when Barack Obama was president: Republican leaders designated a formal response and Tea Party-aligned conservatives chose their own messengers to deliver a different rebuttal."
No -- the Democratic Party is unified in its response, through Schumer and Pelosi. As this same paragraph points out, Sanders is an independent, not a Democrat. His strategies serve his own purposes and do not necessarily align with Democrats'. May we never forget that again.
11
@Jason It's not as if Bernie hurt the democrats. Look at the positions on major issues now. All because of Bernie.
2
His strategies have never served his own purposes. What an offensive thing for you to say.
2
@hddvt
All because of Bernie? Black Lives Matter, the MeToo movement, the Women's March, the call to protect the rights of LGBTQ folks and of the undocumented, are not "all because of Bernie." Many activists have worked for many years to get the Democrats to this point. You insult them by giving him all the credit.
4
Trump seems to be thinking he has a few more chance against a 78 year old veteran pol of Siciliano immigrant heritage.
This could be ugly.
11
@Nat Ehrlich
Not to mention being the only daughter in a large family, which makes her even tougher, but the clincher is that the family ran the Baltimore political machine when that city's...political atmosphere...was arguably the toughest on the East Coast.
Mr. Trump's father probably advised him to avoid projects in Baltimore, but he probably still hasn't connected the dots.
1
Let's be real folks, trumpites will change the station as soon as he's finished speaking, they'll have no desire to hear that what he said has no basis in reality.
26
so what? the point is to get to fence sitters, and energize our base.
1
@Paul Lief, who cares if trump's supporters don't tune in! I certainly wont waste my time listening to the lies that trump will spew. The Pelosi / Schumer response is for thinking individuals who want to be informed of their plan on how to get us out of this mess.
2
Trump can tell us all about how he knows how it is to miss a paycheck - he knows that very well. His record of stiffing contractors is a lead up to today when he is yet again causing hardworking people to not get paid for their labor.
We are less secure today with TSA, flight controllers, securities and exchange, and all these other groups who normally protect us having to shut down or work under a severe handicap.
24
@Details
Our Animal Welfare League has sent out notices that all those federal workers who don't get paid can pick up free food for their cats and dogs from the shelter.
Our community is pitching in by donating canned food and sealed bags of food to help with stocking their supply.
4
Do you suppose he will read the speech or will he go off an a tangent speaking his own thoughts?
9
@janye
He'll go off on tangent; he can't help himself. He's so enamored with his own words (and he thinks others are too) that he''ll say anything rather than shut up and sit down.
1
What to watch for during the Sen. Schumer/Rep. Pelosi self-appointed, unbiased fact-checker response tonight:
Will they mention how many African-American jobs have been lost to illegals having wandered in through our porous Mexico/US border? Look it up and then call this a racist ploy with a straight face;
Will they mention that lifelong border security officers are counting on them to approve the border barrier?
Will they mention how then-Sen. Obama, and then-Sen. Hillary Clinton voted for and openly promoted this very barrier?
Will they include in their likely opposition to this national security necessity that the $5.6B includes massive increases in medical care for migrants, illegal or otherwise, at the border? And more courts to more expeditiously process both illegal, non-asylum cases and asylum applicants?
Will they admit to how many detention centers and pepper-spray defenses President Obama's administration carried out?
Or will this just be another msm/Democrat brainwashing opportunity?
5
When it comes to being biased, I would guess that self-examination of the bias displayed in your comment does not count?
2
@JBC: But Mexico has to pay forcthe wall. That’s what Trump promised, not the Democrats. And thinking that unauthorized immigrants toiling in the produce fields of California for a pittance, or washing dishes in restaurants, are stealing jobs from African Americans tells me enough of what you find appropriate jobs for African Americans... But those times are over since slavery ended!
4
@1bite at a time
This is a fine example of how those who don't conform to liberal ideologies are attacked, overlooking an opportunity for actual discourse.
Schumer and Pelosi are two people who attack problems like a vicious rabbit. The sooner we get people like Ocasio-Cortez in power, the better.
9
...who we know very little about. Why don’t we wait to see how these newly elected representatives do first?
1
Ocasio-Cortes needs to walk around the block a few times before she is ready to step up and lead.
2
@Keith Dow
Yeah, and free college and Medicare for all?
What would happen if the Trumpster announced...he had a check ...from Mexico no less..to cover the Wall.....and...the Mueller Investigation as well?? Wouldn't hear many complaints then !! Where do we as a Nation go from here ?? Mr Mueller and the Democrats are our only hope...stay tuned ! Let's Make The United States United Again!!
10
@Dave
You mean holding up an enormous check tonight, like the lottery? It's no more unbelievable than his conversations with his predecessors, so perhaps he'd get away with it.
He could blame the shutdown for not being able to deposit it.
1
No matter how Chuck and Nancy frame it,spin it they will not accept anything resulting in more secure borders. They have no interest in quality of life issues of those who see their community's deteriorating. We in ground zero of this mess endure almost nightly gun shots,weekly shootings trash piles at city limits and countryside. Last week it was officer Singh. Democrats don't speak his name. Officer Singhs killer wouldn't have made it over a wall/fence..there wasn't one where he last crossed the border in Arizona.
8
@Lane: If Trump in his first year had accepted the bipartisan proposal that he had promised to sign, with 25B dollars for border security and his wall, officer Singh might still be alive. But he reneged on his promise twice. And Trump hasn’t even spent one tenth of what he already has available to improve border security. So your claim that Democrats aren’t interested in border security is a flat-out lie and Trump bears responsibility for endangering people’s lives and livelihoods. And wasn’t Mexico going to pay for the wall? Another promise Trump broke.
5
@Lane. “Will not accept anything that results in more secure borders.” Well that statement’s just silly. You mean like the robust bi-partisan border security package the House just passed, and the Senate passed previously but now Mitch won’t let the Senate vote on? Democrats want a more secure border, just not that physical wall.
Have you EVER watched or read an objective news report, say from countries outside of the U.S.?
5
Save the strawman argument for people who don't know any better.
Why don't you compare what happened to Officer Singh with what happened to - how many people, including those who died - because of the nonsense Trump-Show Shut Down. Why don't you look up statistics on the actual physical wall.
I'm not a Democrat or a liberal. But I take issue with your nonsense that the Democrats don't want border security because they are not interested in an ineffective expensive physical wall. This is the 21st century. There are better technologies for border security. Educate yourself.
Take your parroted propaganda back to Hannity and Carlson - and Limbaugh, who officially defined himself as an entertainer, not a reporter. Unable to tear your eyes away from Fox News? Then watch Shepard Smith.
4
Hopefully these two wackos don't give the nation a civics lesson suitable only for 3rd graders which is the way they usually portray the wall when they only speak of it in terms of "immorality".
Say why the wall wouldn't work. Why it's expensive. How in lieu of a wall, we can clamp down on illegal immigration more meaningfully elsewhere.
If Democrats truly aren't the party of open borders as they insist they aren't, they're going to need a strong anti illegal immigration agenda of their own or they'll look weak compared to Trump's line-in-the-sand approach to the wall.
Between open borders and a wall, most people will choose a wall.
4
@LR: The choice isn’t between open borders and a wall. First of all, most of the Southern border where a wall or a fence would be feasable and appropriate, already has it, and second, you can have tight border security without adding more wall. Adding more wall would require the application of eminent domain, which is costly and very time consuming.
1
@LR
You are setting up false choices, here LR.
These are systemic issues, which are very complex, and made more so by the ineffective government, who has had many chances to reform immigration, and has passed on it. An accumulation of mishaps, political obfuscation, downright racial and economic predation and more have got us here.
1
There seems to be some confusion over whether Trump "ordered" any TV station to carry his speech.
He didn't. Every network -- broadcast or cable -- was free to decide on its own whether they'd run Trump's speech, one or more responses, all of the above, or none of the above. All networks, it appears, have chosen to run Trump's speech and the Democratic Party's response (but nobody else's response). They didn't have to, but they all did -- even the NY Times has jumped on board!
Let's be clear on this. Whether you hate Trump or love him (frankly, I couldn't care less), it's hard to ignore that all major news outlets have decided to run his speech tonight -- live and in prime time.
@MyThreeCents - I don't think the networks had much of a choice. Convention would dictate that a President, speaking from the Oval Office, would be aired in prime time as requested. Had the networks balked, the right would be screaming "liberal bias". I hope that they run simultaneous fact checking.
It's not hard to ignore at all. I don't know anybody who's watching him talk. He has taught us that when he opens his mouth, lies roll out. What a waste of time.
2
@MyThreeCents Most major news outlets carried OJ Simpson's car chase.
1
To quote Bill Murray, "human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria!" Truculent Trump – true to his MO – has created another purported "crises" so that he can, in his inimitable way, "solve" it. Perhaps, though, this time the Democrats can lay bare this so blatantly obvious deception? We shall see. Dueling television personalities is what our political system seems to have devolved into.
15
Please, they must highlight all his lies and show the truth with as much evidence as they have available.
12
Schumer's and Pelosi's response to Trump's speech should be short and sweet: "This cracked wallnut needs to go."
17
Is this address going to come from the oval office or the throne room from where he send his tweets?
14
Trump is now squirming and flailing like a fish on the end of a line. We're leaving Syria, we're not; Mattis resigned, I fired him; the border is in crisis wall but I forgot push for a wall when the GOP held both houses; I proudly own the shutdown, no the Democrats do. But now he seems hooked. Reel him in, Nancy Pelosi, get him in the net, and fillet him for supper.
34
Whats wrong with completing a border? 3.8B for a pair of air force ones, 5.7B for a border. Not too bad! How many readers have doors, fences, locks, alarm systems, gates, etc....for safety? Do barriers constitute racism?
4
This is the 21st century. There are far better technologies that are much more effective than a physical wall/fence/slats/insert latest format here. You do know there is such a thing as tunnels and airplanes and boats and catapults?
4
@Concerned Citizen
There are several modern examples of successful nation state built barriers (walls if you will) that have significantly curbed illegal immigration as well as contraband movement. Israel, Egypt, and, Spain are examples that could provide valuable insight on the topic.
This nascent reliance on "alternative technologies" is a sound bit promulgated by certain media outlets. A drone, sensors, lidar, radar, infrared, ultrasonic, or other threat identification method does not function to limit movement, apprehend, interrogate, or deter. As such, in the least it requires and potentially expands the need for a human element to monitor and respond.
Why don't airports, schools, prisons, military installations, banks, etc use this 21st century technology exclusively?
I have heard of tunnels, airplanes, boats, and catapults. These aren't the tools of mass illegal immigration. If ~50,000 people per month were catapulted into South Texas, someone might notice. I don't think 521,090 border apprehensions per year is sustainable, reasonable, or, fair to anyone. (FY18)
What if 50,000 people per month came through the airports without going through customs? Would you feel like the government was doing its job to protect you and your family?
Border Apprehensions:
https://www.cbp.gov/newsroom/stats/sw-border-migration
Your buying right into this smoke screen .
Ask Schumer and Pelosi where they stand on:
Bill S.1 strengthen American Security Middle East Act of 2019?
This bill is so dangerous to every American.
If a person or company is against this BDS movement they could lose their jobs and face jail time what a disgrace.
Not a word from American MSM news cartel
Something stinks
I don’t like what Trump is doing , but this is worse
Sneaky politicians and foreign lobbyists.
This buried in the reopening the government.
1
Wag the Dog?
Film at 11.
4
This is actually almost the definition of racism. When a strong man leader declares a fake “national emergency” for the express purpose of grabbing more power. Be afraid, America. Be very alert.
20
"It's right that the Democrats should have the right of reply ... "
They've always had that right. The question is whether the networks should give them a prime-time TV slot to exercise that right.
The networks should have just said "no" to Trump, which would have made a Democratic Party "response" unnecessary. Because they said "yes" to Trump, they claimed to have a "moral obligation" to run a prime-time Democratic Party response (though no other response). They didn't have any obligation, however, to run either Trump's speech or any response to it. They could simply have said "no," as they did to Obama several years back.
4
Fairness and balanced treatment of Trump and Democrats by the networks regarding this political debate is appropriate. Let both sides make their case to the American people so they can decide. I believe that the American people will make clear their will on this once all the facts are presented. That is the way a democracy works.
If ultimately the majority of Americans are opposed to Trump's shut down for wall funding but he then goes forward and unilaterally declares a national emergency and makes taxpayers fund his wall without receiving congressional approval he will experience the negative consequences of this act in the 2020 presidential election. That is the way a democracy works.
3
"I'm glad the networks have agreed to having Pelosi/Schumer respond ... I can get the gist of what [Trump] said from them."
While some TV watchers will watch only the Pelosi/Schumer response, most will watch Trump's speech too.
Tough Question #1:
Would Trump's speech be considered a big deal, by anyone, if the networks had declined to run it (as I would have)? If network executives feel "morally bound" to say "yes" when a President asks for prime time, as some observers claim, why did they reportedly tell Obama's aides they'd say "no" several years back?
Tough Question #2:
If someone else, not just the Democratic Party, asks for response time, will any network grant it? What if the asker is a political party that got a lot of votes in the viewing area -- should a network give them, say, 2 minutes of prime time? What if a "Never Trump" Republican disagrees with Trump on the wall -- 2 minutes of prime time?
I think I know the answer to Tough Question #2: no, no, and no. Network executives will simply ignore any other request for response time?
1
But will the networks carry the reality-based side???
With the end of The Fairness Doctrine, the plutocracy wins every time. To end this Orwellian horror movie we're all now stuck in, we must figure out how to legislate the return to The Fairness Doctrine.
I suspect it will take an "unelected bureaucracy" like Elizabeth Warren's great idea, the Consumer Financial protection Bureau. but for media. A Voter Information Protection Bureau?
Then give them teeth to regulate industries, including media.
2
I understand this debate, but why doesn't someone film or tape the miles and miles of southwestern border so we have a record of exactly where the "gaps" are. In some cases I would imagine that the border is already impassible because of the landscape.
I've read that most folks coming to stay here fly in anyway.
If we are using the military to build the wall - cue the Marx Brothers music-
"Freedonia"!
2
Or this month, for that matter:
"Why wasn't an emergency declared last month?"
To dispel some confusion that appears to exist, no "emergency" has been declared, period. Every TV network was free to carry or not carry Trump's speech, the Democratic Party response to it, any other response to it, all of the above, or none of the above.
They all said "yes" -- even the NY Times. They could have said "no," as they told Obama's aides several years ago when Obama planned to ask for prime time to make an immigration speech. But they said "yes" this time, not "no."
Frankly, Trump deserves some credit here. If he'd asked for prime time and all networks had turned him down, it would be pretty embarrassing. Maybe Trump checked in advance -- I don't claim to know whether he did. In any event, all of the networks said "yes" this time, reversing themselves from the Obama days.
Why "yes" to Trump and "no" to Obama? Who knows? I guess we'll have to let those network executives answer that.
3
My anger lately is less at Trump and more at the Democrat's inability to voice a powerful and logical rebuttal. Sen. Schumer reminds me of teacher reading from a textbook and putting me to sleep in a classroom. I hope Speaker Pelosi can live up to her recent hype and do better.
3
All of the networks should race to see who can do the best fact checking job, simultaneous with Trump's speech. Due to the rambling and incoherence, it'll be quite the challenge, but the lies are so blatant that it will be a target rich environment.
4
A valid concern here is the fact that those who should watch the Democratic rebuttal will have tuned elsewhere by the time Pelosi and Schumer begin their speeches.
However eloquent, however persuasive, and however logical, the democratic rebuttal will move those who do not need moving, namely the democrats who remain in audience during the response.
Once Trump blusters and vents his spleen, red-state supporters will return to whatever pabulum that's airing opposite Pelosi and Schumer.
A nation that follows one partisan must be forced to listen to that partisan's opposite. Sadly, we cannot police such educational authority.
3
@Sophisma: how about pausing Trump’s speech, claim by claim, for immediate response by Schumer and Pelosi? Put tape delay to good use. Cause listeners to hear both arguments.
Trump allies say the Democrats need to compromise. But the issue is Trump assuming that he can get whatever he wants, for whatever reason and that he can hold hostages and cause pain until the other side gives in. He is the definition of a bully. If the Democrats simply give him his 5.7 billion, he will ask for another 5.7 billion next year and the next, and assume that the bullying tactics will work again (why would he think otherwise?). We will have multiple shutdowns (he's already given us three).
People can send drugs over the wall with a $100 drone - what this country needs for protection is better technology - not walls.
8
I sincerely hope that Pelosi and Schumer watch for misinformation coming from Trump and correct any of that during their rebuttal address. Trump’s base probably won’t believe the facts , only the fake news coming from the White House but we need to get the facts out in the public.
4
If they're smart, they should be referring to this as the "Congressional response" and not the "Democratic response". This is about the separation of powers, not party.
6
@Charles
Yes, and remind us that while the minority and majority leaders in both houses are, by definition, partisan, the offices of both speaker and president are not.
1
In an ideal world, this might happen:
"FOX News should air Trump Speech. ----ABC, NBC, CBS should cover Schumer/Pelosi Response if sense prevailed."
In real life, though, "ABC, NBC, CBS" and many other TV networks (indeed, even the NY Times) have announced they'll run both, live and in prime time.
There are limits, of course, to the patriotism of network executives. None of them, for example, has agreed to run a response from anyone OTHER than the Democratic Party -- not from "Never Trumpers," not from the Green Party, not from the Libertarian Party, not from your Uncle George (who, I hear, has strong views on these things), not from anybody.
True enough, network executives COULD have just said "no" to Trump and/or the Democratic Party and/or anyone else, as they reportedly did when Obama hoped to deliver a prime-time speech on immigration several years ago. But they said "yes." Arguably this decision makes Trump's speech seem more important than it otherwise would seem. I'll probably read it, for example, though I might have ignored it otherwise.
1
While there’s an argument for bringing out the big guns, I think Democratic leadership may have missed an opportunity to highlight the Party’s emerging bench strength. There are border-state Democrats with relevant expertise on this “crisis”. Beto O’Rourke would have been ideal, though he’s probably off the list after giving up his seat. His successor in TX-16, Veronica Escobar, might be an option; a Latina newcomer would be quite a contrast to the President. Krysten Sinema, maybe? Joaquin Castro? Ruben Gallego? For pure gravitas, Henry Cuellar is a legit expert on border security spending.
Farther from the border, Ilhan Omar speaks for refugees of all colors and creeds. She’s just one of the compelling young voices who would offer a refreshing change from the Chuck and Nancy Show.
1
Thank you. We the people do not need a Trump vanity project. He promised he would get Mexico to pay for it. We don't either. I want it to go away.
3
If Trump is Trump tonight there won't be any need for Democrats to respond. Instead, they will simply adopt Trump's address as their best argument why his thoughts and ideas on border security should be dismissed out of hand.
3
The Democratic leaders could invite General Mathis to join them in response. If there was a crisis, an invasion, a national emergency on the U.S. border, wouldn't the recently "retired" Secretary of Defense have known? In fact, since Trump hasn't been to the border yet, how else would he have known? Fox news? Kayne West? Kelly-Ann Conway?
3
@Son of the Sun
I believe Roger Stone has been taking the credit for planting the wall concept in Mr. Trump's mind. But maybe "many" former presidents told him.
It's right that the Democrats should have the right of reply but it's not going to shift the debate. Reality over the next few days is going to determine the outcome. Horror stories every night at 6.30. Democratic bills opening the government. Panic is going to break out among Republicans in house and senate. There are already signs of it.
18
What if the president threw a National Emergency and nobody came?
66
@Tom W
This president is a national emergency.
3
So how much will it cost for this shut-down government to ship trump and his evil spawn to Texas for his PR stunt?
And will the old man "stop off" at Mar-e Lago on his way back to rest up?
31
@rrr Sure he will. Spending someone else's money is what he enjoys.
2
FOX News should air Trump Speech. ----ABC, NBC, CBS should cover Schumer/Pelosi Response if sense prevailed.
13
They had better mention that Trump vowed that Mexico would pay for the wall.
73
@Bhj
They had better mention that Trump said he would take the blame for shutting it down and NOT blame the Democrats.
Since he has not taken the blame and is blaming the Democrats, we can chalk that up as ....one lie in thousands he has made.
4
This is an absolute freak show. This man has clearly defined mental illness and needs to be removed from office immediately. The fate of the free world depends on it.
73
@Mike...The worst of all of this is that so many Americans supported and voted for the Worst President In American History !! What were they thinking !!
2
@Dave
It's still an open question of exactly how many Americans voted for him, and will be until it all comes out. It may be the totals talleyed; it may not.
1
Nancy Pelosi and Dick Schumer should also make a trip to the border. Especially they should go to the internment camps for children. They should see what our troops are actually doing there — my guess is not much except keeping up their encampments. They should talk with mayors and other leaders in towns on our side of the border to find out for sure if there is really any danger or high crime as our current president describes. Let's find out the truth about the matter.
42
@Jeff A wall would help with none of those issues.
3
@Jeff, Dick Schumer was a disc jockey in Hartford (a good one too). Chuck Schumer is the Senator. Facts matter, Jeff, and I'm sure those two people have them right, whatever you call them.
2
@Jeff
Thats already been done because many Dems did go down there like Joe Kennedy III, and Sen Guiteraz, and others, thats how they know that what Trump spouts is one big nothing burger of an emergency.
4
Tonight’s address will be the tipping point in this spit-on-the-sidewalk presidency.
This is not December 7, 1942.
This is not November 22, 1963.
This is not August 7, 1974.
This is not September 11, 2001.
Donald Trump has nothing to gain and everything to lose tonight. In advance of the “address,” I would bet all I own that it was written by Stephen Miller; I would not at all be surprised to know that Stephen Bannon—or Sean Hannity—had a hand in its crafting.
This “address” will be one of historic importance—for all of us. This president has never “governed” to anyone outside of his base of adoration, bordering on idolatry.
It’s Game Time, America. Tonight.
54
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18,
It’s October 7, 2002, when George W. Bush went before a crowd in Cincinnati and uttered these words: “Tonight I want to take a few minutes to discuss a grave threat to peace and America's determination to lead the world in confronting that threat. The threat comes from Iraq.”
10
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18,
Did you mean December 7th 1941?
1
@Red Sox, '04, '07, '13, ‘18,
"This is not December 7, 1942.
This is not November 22, 1963.
This is not August 7, 1974.
This is not September 11, 2001."
____________
.
At least two more calamitous dates belong in that list:
.
April 12, 1861.
.
November 8, 2016.
3
Wouldn't it be wonderful if there could be real time fact checking scrolling below the image of Mr. Trump? It would also help the process!
42
This could be from a funny distopian novel. It is hard to believe that an idiot like Trump is now president and wants to build a huge wall between us and an ally. It would be very difficult to make up something so unreal.
30
The " Chuck and Nancy " Show. If Trump had ANY brains, he'd be afraid. For the rest of Us, pass the popcorn. Yum, Yum.
8
The "wall" idea was ginned up by two campaign flunkies as a memory device to keep Trump talking about the topic of immigration. Here is that story.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/01/04/where-the-idea-for-donald-trumps-wall-came-from/#2e847d544415
Quote:
Joshua Green had good access to Trump insiders, including Sam Nunberg, who worked with Stone. “Roger Stone and I came up with the idea of ‘the Wall,’ and we talked to Steve [Bannon] about it,” according to Nunberg. “It was to make sure he [Trump] talked about immigration.”
The concept of the Wall did not click right away with the candidate. “Initially, Trump seemed indifferent to the idea,” writes Green. “But in January 2015, he tried it out at the Iowa Freedom Summit, a presidential cattle call put on by David Bossie’s group, Citizens United. ‘One of his pledges was, ‘I will build a Wall,’ and the place just went nuts,’ said Nunberg. Warming to the concept, Trump waited a beat and then added a flourish that brought down the house. ‘Nobody,’ he said, ‘builds like Trump.’”
Roger Stone and Sam Nunberg are political consultants. Neither man has claimed expertise in immigration policy, particularly the complex issue of deterring individuals from attempting to enter the United States illegally. ... Stone admitting in December 2018, as part of a legal settlement, to “spreading lies” on the Alex Jones InfoWars program.
End quote
The whole "wall" thing is nonsense, all made up baloney.
45
@Joe From Boston
Thank you, Joe. That's a good source and a short and sweet article. I've printed it out.
It IS nonsense! It IS made-up baloney!
Thank you, again!
7
This shutdown is all Mitch McConnell's fault. He has the votes to override a veto, as the budget bill without the wall passed 100 to 0 in the Senate. WAY more than needed to override.
But he cant call out the Emperor with no clothes, so here we are. I hope Pelosi and Schumer point out that Trump is buck naked. Sorry for the imagery...
62
@Z, Correct. His wife is in Trump's cabinet.
4
@Z
"Sorry for the imagery."
.
Not sorry enough. Ugh.
1
They should just play a loop of Trump on video saying over and over again that Mexico will pay for the wall and that he takes ownership of the shutdown.
34
This scripted made for t.v. appearance by Trump tonight is clearly meant not to lose any of his tenuous base and to show them he knows how to win big and keep his signature campaign promise of the wall. It's predictable that he will cowardly cast all blame for the shutdown and threatened national security on the villainous Democrats.
The press will give him exactly what he wants--prime time coverage reaching millions more than he could have done in just his rallies. The pathetic part of all of this is how he bamboozled those folks, some of whom are losing their livelihoods over his wall. And more pathetic is that many of them will contibue to admire and exalt their tv host tonight and remain loyal to him just the same.
12
Thank goodness there will be adults in the room after pinocchio leaves the podium. We need the truth, not more lies.
16
The Emperor has no clothes!
6
Nice, something to help wash down the nasty taste of old, stale Cheetos will be refreshing.
1
I'm happy to hear Pelosi and Schumer and will try to tune in to them only, as I have no intention of listening to more of Donald Fraud's propaganda. I've heard more than enough from him to know not to trust a word out of his mouth. I hope the TV ratings for his address are TERRIBLE as that seems to be the only thing that matters to him—well, that and the chance to illegally enrich himself, ignore important precedents, shred our constitution, and demonize everyone that doesn't reflexively and automatically support him as he drives our country into the sewer.
10
Chuck, man up and sit down. Let Nancy do all the talking; she’s got the message framed just right.
8
Can’t the Democratic Party find someone other that these two old rich white people to respond to Trump ? Please give one of the talented young minority freshmen an opportunity to speak for the Party
9
@Common Ground
Minorities and people who like seeing minority representation are already outraged by Trump.
It's the Republican voters you want to reach.
1
@Common Ground, Pelosi is the Speaker of the House, and Schumer is the Senate Minority Leader. It's their job and they've earned the right to be there.
Younger Dems are certainly welcome to speak up publicly - and they do.
4
@Common Ground
Their race, age, or socioeconomic status does not matter. What matters is they are not compelling speakers. I agree an articulate minority freshmen would have been a good choice... but who?
2
Shame on the networks for giving the malcontent in chief a platform. Without a lie-o-meter this will be a colossal a waste of air time.
18
Let's see. A lie every 10 seconds by the Fake President = 6 lies per minute; times 8 minutes of airtime requested by the F.P. = 48 total lies uttered before the American public. (This accounting does not provide for the probability where Trump gets really rolling, upping the l.p.m., or lies per minute.) There is no one serving in government today, on a federal, state, or local basis, better than our illustrious Don-the-Con! MAGA.
6
How dismal. Trump's lies followed by Schumer's empty platitudes. I hope Pelosi delivers some facts.
3
A simple rebuttal: “No improvement in border security is needed. Open the border now. No additional immigration facilities. No additional immigration judges. No added drones, cameras, and enforcement personnel. We only caught a half dozen terrorists. Any others never told us they were terrorists. The flow of drugs from Mexico is minimal. The money for better border security is better spent on welfare benefits for those already illegally in the US”.
7
Trump reminds me of Joe McCarthy's insanity during the 50's of seeing communists everywhere in government and public life. We have real problems and this lunacy does not nothing to help us solve them.
14
The networks should use the Law & Order disclaimer before the broadcast: “The following story is fictional and does not depict any actual person or event.”
19
@S H.....and that the programming is definitely not suitable for children !
2
It is time for us all to face a hard fact.
It is possible for anyone to behave himself so badly, for so long, that he finally loses all credibility.
ANYONE.
That includes the President of the United States of America.
Many of us don’t care what you have to say tonight, Mr. Trump. Probably, most of us don’t.
You have told too many lies. Spread too much divisiveness. Sewn too much hatred and racism. Attempted too much devious manipulation without facts or logic.
We have heard all we need to hear from you.
32
Sorry, all. Any and all responses will be meaningless to the 35% dyed in the wool, do or die Trumpians. Sure, it will please us rational people, why we look at statistics an science and analysis; the President and his followers clearly do not. The other side feels there way to accepted facts through intuition. Sort of the way they know that many of the asylum seekers are really terrorists and that beautiful, clean coal should be resurrected as a preferred energy source - even on our latest aircraft carrier! We are dealing with delusional ideations founded in suspicion, bigotry and false beliefs grappled to their souls like hoops of steel. No, our heros will not be able to budge the needle on the 35%, but it is noteworthy that the rest of the country should be reassured that someone has their pulse on reality and could, if called upon, lead a nation into the light.
8
How are these whining Democrats going to rebut a speech that was just made without going over it with a fine tooth comb. It's not feasible.
1
@MIKEinNYC
"How are they going to rebut" the speech?
Easy - they will listen to it and respond. they have these items in their heads called brains, which is apparently a fact that you can't relate to.
2
@MIKEinNYC the speech's points have already been ingrained into all of our heads.
2
The Democrats are definitely doing their job.
10
Remember when you were a kid you read that story ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’? That’s Trump. He has lied so many times about so many subjects that now that he wants to come across as convincing, no one will believe him, besides his deluded followers.
11
Has anyone considered the possibility that Trump is so nuts that he could declare martial law and try to get his Democratic Party enemies like Pelosi imprisoned? Personally, I would not be surprised.
9
@Joe
Wait until he abolishes congress and imprisons all democrats. Plus trials and executions.
Failing that, what will we do when he declares a national emergency to prevent elections?
2
Trump says ex-Presidents privately confided to him they wish they had built the wall. This sits alongside the other lies Trump has told (about 7,000 so far).
The only real question about the response is whether they will label his lies in the speech as such, because never before have we had a President that simply did not care about the truth
9
The Democratic response had better be just showing Trump's boast "I will take the mantle of shutting it down" in a non-stop loop.
Why are the networks even giving Trump free prime time to lie to the American public? Make him pay for every minute of it.
10
This rebuttal is critically needed, but I wish it would be delivered by someone other than Pelosi or Schumer. Both are lightning rods for criticism from conservatives. And while they may be impassioned, neither speaks very eloquently in these situations. The Dems should recruit someone from the Rust Belt or mid-America and stick to factual counterpoint and setting the record straight. And lay out the repercussions to everyday Americans. We need to rid ourselves of this administration's lying influence and its attempts to gin up conflict. Trump's "security crisis on the border" is this decade's "yellow cake uranium and WMDs".
3
This is right and just - but such a shame that the president needs to be not only rebutted but FACT CHECKED in the hope of getting some semblance of truth told.
6
Why wasn't an emergency declared last month? Why didn't Mitch McConnell do his job, get the votes for a 'nuclear option' and push this Trump Agenda through? Why do DEMS have to solve this now?
Enormous PUBLIC pressure must be put and remain on Mitch McConnell for his incompetence and refusal to lead.
McConnell had no problem overriding a veto from Obama in 2015. McConnell had no problem blocking Merrick Garland from being vetted by Senate. McConnell is a MAJOR part of this shutdown mess.
28
Glad to hear Dems are sticking to their message and taking it wide. They need to use every medium available to them every day to highlight what a travesty the Trump shutdown is and how it is hurting everyone. They must be relentless, factual and bipartisan. They have an upper hand in this debacle and need to continue practicing responsible leadership, especially since Trump is unable and unwilling to do so.
6
It’s Trump’s show. Viewership will drop when Nancy and Chuck come on, and the news shows know it, but they’ll be obliged to televise it as if anybody cares about fairness and balance, two concepts that are foreign to reality TV.
Trump is not handling divided government well.In November the American people voted to make the House of Representatives overwhelmingly Democratic.Trump has become too accustomed to a cozy arrangement with Ryan in the House and McConnell in the Senate.Now that his "yes" men are gone he is in crisis mode and punishing government workers and begging for TV time to make his case.He is running out of gimmicks- he has NO ability to negotiate.He needs collaborators to carry out his schemes.The Democrats have him shell shocked-he is having a huge tantrum!
11
Tax returns are needed to keep the money flowing - it’s not the refunds (except for corporations and the wealthy) it’s the revenue. Yes it sounds great to talk about refunds - but no influx of money - more borrowing. As for China - they own much of the US debt - Trump should be cozying up not antagonizing. The mess is all Trump and his media pals.
1
I am glad the Democrats will stand up and be counted. I was afraid the corporate Democrats would be told by their donors to give in because the wealthy may be losing money over this shut down. Maybe even the donors are sick of Trump.
Oh when is Sat night live coming back on?
I wish Nancy and Chuck could turn over the floor for the rebuttal to someone who has fire in their veins and knows how speak clearly and simply with great truth. But I know there is a dreary chain of command which must be obeyed at all costs right now.
Oh Silver be your tongues Nancy and Chuck. Speak with honest indignation and clarity. Do not bow, do not give an inch to the enemy of Democracy.
6
The voices of common sense and reason will be heard right after the mediatic showman utters his self-praise and disseminates his alternative truths. And perhaps fires somebody along the way. After all, what he's proven to be excellent at is hiring and firing people. He should go back to his television show and leave the running of the country to those who know.
Not sure if I missed it but I certainly hope all the networks carrying Trump's silly address are also going to broadcast the Democrat response. It wouldn't surprise me if Fox declined and instead just ran their talking heads agreeing with what Trump had to say but I would expect more from the other networks.
1
Speaker Nancy Pelosi has shown herself to be a formidable, tough speaker against the clueless and clumsy Trump, bur Chuck Schumer has been quite ineffective in his oublic pronouncements of late. A younger, more articulate person would be a better choice.
4
With all due respect to Schumer and Pelosi, they are making a mistake. Trump will do what he always does, lie repeatedly to his base. Schumer and Pelosi will then attempt to counter his lies with the truth, but Trump's base won't care. Moreover, explaining why a lie is a lie takes far more time than stating the falsehood . Just let Trump say whatever he wants to say and then let's get back to our regularly scheduling programming, i.e., the shutdown.
1
I hope the Democratic response is, “No way, Jose.”
Trump makes a promise during his campaign stops that he had no intention of keeping because HE DIDN’T THINK HE WOULD WIN! Then, he stirs up fear and hatred by lying about caravans, vectors of disease, terrorists, murderous gangs. Then, rather than admit his lies, he’s now insisting on a wall that we were NEVER told the American people would have to pay for. The insanity is mind-boggling.
The amount of money this fantasy wall would cost, the loss of jobs and income the shutdown has created, the vilification of the other, the stress and upset he causes the populace - this is meaningless and not remotely of concern to him. He thrives on stress and chaos. He’s having a grand old time.
7
Looks like democrats are finally playing fire with fire. Whoever heard of anyone demanding an official and formal "democrat response" address to a President's address? Then again who ever heard of a president who declares an emergency where there is none simply to save face over a childish campaign promise? This gets crazier every day.
2
I’m pretty sure that I heard Trump at several of his rallies railing against the “ horrible “ unfair dishonest CBS, NBC, CBS, and CNN reporting calling their coverage , “ fake
news.” Why would be request that his speech be covered by the very organizations he has repeatedly told his base to ignore. Fox coverage should be fine, since they are untainted in their reporting.
1
Leader Pelosi and Senator Schumer, if you are reading, please remember... his rabid supporters will never change their minds, and his critics already understand that he is a habitual liar. It is the skeptics, undecideds and apathetic members of the public to whom you must appeal. Those voters don't trust the leaders of either party, and are weary from all the hyperbole and generalizations that dominate the news. The worst thing you could do tonight is use your rebuttal time to spin and play politics. Stick to the facts and leave out the moral arguments which (sadly) have done nothing to win hearts anyway. The side that "wins" will be the side that is pragmatic, non-judgmental and honest enough to admit their own failings.
1
Will the Democratic response also be carried live by the networks?
People should just turn off their TV during Trump speech in protest and show their mass disapproval of the President.
I'm glad the networks have agreed to having Pelosi/Schumer respond.
I can't bear to watch Trump talk for more than 5 seconds, so at least I can get the gist of what he said from them.
To Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer: Don't fall into the trap of refusing to vote on other legislation until the Senate votes on the funding bills. It sounds like you're just as petty as Mitch McConnell, who is just as petty as he does sound and act! Please, please act responsibly for the good of the country. Eventually, a majority of the voting public will realize how destructive Trump and his party (which I call the Party of No because they say no to almost everything) have been to this country's well-being and vote accordingly.
I am so glad that Pelosi and Schumer will give the rebuttal as they have been in the discussions and have first hand knowledge of what has transpired. It is well known that Trump can hardly open his mouth without lying, so the only people who will give us a faithful account will be Pelosi and Schumer.
Sure, we all see disagreements from our own position, but that is more easily recognized than out-and-out lies. We, the citizens, need to know what is happening.
As a side issue, it is time to review the Emergency Powers act and to retire parts that sideline Congress when there is no clear and present danger, which should be extremely rare. Congress has abrogated its responsibilities far too much and far too often. Today it is a shadow of what was intended, as the supine GOP has demonstrated for the past two years.
If McConnell were facing a Democrat in the Oval Office, he would not be standing idly by twiddling his thumbs and pretending to be helpless. He, as much as Trump, is endangering our democracy. He, as much as Trump, needs to be held responsible for the mess this country has become.
I have no intention of listening to Trump to try to sift fact from fiction. I am interested in hearing Pelosi and - although less so - Schumer. Time for the bullying to end and for thoughtful governance to begin.
2
Even though I’m an independent, the Democratic leaders speak for me, and for a trustworthy, rational and representative government, to a much greater extent than the occupant of the White House. No comparison. To call them self-selected is dismissive and inaccurate.
The childish occupant name-calls and slanders with impunity, hijacking the news narrative. That’s why top leaders of all parties are vital in making him accountable -- looking at you, Sen. McConnell and other Senate Republicans.
2
This is not "a partisan power struggle." The majority-Republican Senate less than three weeks ago unanimously passed virtually the exact same bill as the newly Democratic House. It is a petulant toddler's tantrum, enabled by Mitch McConnell and Fox News.
2
Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi. In your response to Trump's so called speech, please do not sugar coat your reply or try to be polite. Tell it like it is and call out Trump's lies. Cite facts, and historical trends.
Trump somehow thinks he will win in the court of public opinion or that this is just another big rally for him. Instead, he won't be able to hide solely behind Fox News and their version of the narrative. Everybody will see and hear the same message.
Trump won't be able to lie his way out of this one.
3
They can remind Trump that the GOP held a majority in both Houses of Congress for the past 2 years and never gave Trump money for his wall.
Trump could have talked with Ryan and McConnell, and maybe he did, but regardless, even the GOP Senate and House knew Trump's wall was to be paid for by Mexico and not be a waste of American tax dollars.
3
We should be given the emails for the heads of all the networks so we can flood them with complaints for airing this propaganda and abusing the use of major networks for partisan ends.
1
Rebuttal:
President Trump promised us that if we elected him, he would build a big wall - and that Mexico would pay for the wall. Two years have passed and his promise turns out to be a failed promise.
He has failed to negotiate a deal with Mexico because...he is not a very good negotiator. Now our federal workers are furloughed or working without pay because he has chosen to punish hundreds of thousands of innocent Americans for his inability to fulfill the promises he made to us all. This is inexcusable.
We all want better border security, that is why Democrats have offered to fund comprehensive border security; including more manpower at the border. Once again, Mr. Trump is failing to negotiate a good deal for America.
Our suggestion is that President Trump end this government shutdown tonight by requesting that Congress fund $5.7 billion of border security by temporarily reducing the tax breaks given to corporations.
4
Instead of these two corrupted politicians getting their own air time to spew out their rhetoric, the should both be right next to Trump to react to his comments! That would be a more honest and transparent approach!
Sarah Sanders and Mike Pence have been field testing Trump administration lies for the past week. They didn't meet with much success, even on Fox. Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi just need to counter Trump's balderdash with facts and figures and they'll be golden.
What a dismal state of affairs we are in!
12
a trap. and, as always, we're all falling for it.
great job. donald, the distractor.
I hope they will highlight the Republican's hipocrisy when in 2013, under President Obama, a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill. with ample bipartisan support, passed the House but then the majority speaker in the Senate refused to bring it down to the floor for discussion, amendments and a vote. Very much in the same style that now Mitch Mcconnell is refusing to bring the bill to fund the gov't for a Senate vote because Trump has threatened to veto it, and McConnell and the GOP minions are afraid to defy Don the Con and override his veto. Nancy and Chuck need to expose that it is the Republicans, with their double talk, who are and have been time after time , unwilling to tackle the illegal immigration issue-- which provides great sources of cheap labor to be exploited by thye agricultural, construction and service industries while at the same time demonizing and scapegoating illegal immigrants when politically convenient. About time to start pernalizing employers, starting with Trump himself!
3
For two years the Republicans have been in power and could pass anything they wanted, especially for National emergency. But No. Now Democrats who didn't get elected to build a wall, lets forget about Mexico, are suppose to pass the Trump agenda. Why not ask the Democrats to investigate Hillary and Benghazi too or shut down government until they do.
1
Schumer and Pelosi are both high on power and position. They are the classic junkie on a never ending high. Consumate politicians and clearly having the time of their life. Compare to Trump, he left the glitter of celebrity and television and now grinds out long days in the White House trying to keep his promises to the Voters who elected him. Guess which one will win this fight at the ballot box in 2020?
We are at an impasse because the republicans in the Senate refuse to take their oath of office seriously and get to work to vote the House bills up or down.
2
Here is where Democrats lose an opportunity. Schumer and Pelosi are "technically"our leaders in Congress, but they are not leadership quality. They are not articulate or compelling. They are unable to engage an audience, and therefore their message will not resonate with Americans.
1
@Tom
They are great leaders, strong, articulate, and telling the truth. They are articulate and compelling to people who care more about reality than marketing.
Some people don't want to listen, but that cannot be solved.
2
@Details
I've watched the "border security" meeting between Trump/Pence and Schumer/Pelosi on December 11th a dozen times. And what I see is Schumer slumped over and smirking, and Pelosi frail and inarticulate. Neither of them are compelling. Think how differently Kamala Harris would have handled this meeting. Harris has "charisma" and would have been seen as confident, strong and articulate. Pelosi may be effective on negotiating policy "behind the curtain"... but she should not be the face of the Democratic Party. Schumer has no place as a leader in the Party.
2
The Democratic response tonight could be one of the most important events in the Trump era. Will they be able make a compelling case against Trump, and start turning the tide against Trumpism?
There's a lot riding on this.
4
If Trump can't decide whether to call the situation at the border an emergency or not, then it is obviously not an emergency.
8
One solution might be for the networks (and now the NY Times too!) to simply not run Trump's speech in the first place. At this point, one network breaking away from the pack could probably get a lot of viewers.
For better or worse, all of the major TV networks (and now the NY Times too!) are planning to run -- live and in prime time -- both Trump's speech and the Democratic Party response. (I haven't heard of any network or other news outlet that plans to run any other response.) It's fair to ask: Does Trump's speech really deserve all this attention? Or are the networks helping to make it into a bigger deal than it really is?
Just roll and roll video of Trump's braggadocio at the Dec. 11 meeting in which he declared that he would be proud to take responsibility for the shutdown along with a cogent and level-headed response from Pelosi and Schumer. Put the burden back on Trump along with his close to 4-year promise that Mexico would pay for the wall.
3
Trump's trip to the border in McAllen, Texas is going to be a gold mine for the Democrats if they play their cards right. His photo op there is going to provide the Democrats with a huge opportunity to blast out the facts about why Trump's Wall is unnecessary, unworkable, and entirely wasteful. I can already imagine Pelosi standing at a place along the border, in Texas, and pointing out where a wall would need to be built in the middle of the Rio Grand (where international treaties and flood-zone requirements would make wall-construction a nearly impossible task). Then the scene would change, and Schumer would be standing at another point along the border, in Arizona, where ranchers own miles of private property that would have to be yanked away from them by the federal government in eminent domain proceedings. I hope Pelosi and Schumer don't miss this opportunity to demonstrate that the only thing Trump wants to do in the way of fabrication isn't a "big, beautiful wall" but, instead, just a pile of lies.
P.S. Are the major television networks going to broadcast Pelosi's and Schumer's rebuttals? That's a critical fact omitted from the article.
1
I hope they avoid saying building the wall is immoral. It may be, but let's focus on the fact that it is unnecessary, expensive and won't do what' it's meant to do. Focusing on morals with immoral people is not helpful.
2
Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer represent the first real challenge to this president's reign. After getting a pass from the GOP for two years the president will now get a lesson in what responsible governance really is. He should now expect accountability and oversight for his remaining two years.
1
This will be worth listening to and hopefully people who have the stomach to listen to Trump will stay tuned to then hear a rational and responsible assessment of the situation.
Wonderful opportunity for Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer to "set the record straight" after Trumps address - which we already know will be filled with a continuous stream of false statements regarding the now "National Emergency" for the need of "his" wall.
I hope the Democratic response includes facts about the real threats to our security; Airports !
WE need to hear the actual numbers of watch-list-terrorists detained by our existing border forces.
A very, very, very tiny number of them were at the Southern Border, but the still remaining threats to America are;
All Airports
All Seaports
Russian and Chinese hacking of our defenses and free elections.
Also, the largest source of Illegal Immigrants are people with expired visas who were already here legally -
No Border Wall will make America Safe -
Of course we can improve border security with technology.
Nancy and Chuck must point out the actual threats and hopefully some solutions as well -
None of which would require a Mid-Evil Wall.
3
Let's hope that they are wise enough to tell the American public exactly why the "wall" is a manufactured emergency and not a real emergency. In that regard they only have to point to the FACT that the "wall" requires the taking of private land by the government aka eminent domain, and that it takes YEARS to accomplish the taking of land.
Therefore, there is no such thing as an "emergency" taking of private land because the law allows the owner of the land obstruct the transfer of ownership until just compensation is rendered.
Considering that the entire length of the proposed wall is thousands of miles long, it should allow the public to understand that Trump's sudden "emergency" is nothing but a political stunt.
1
So, the child will get to defend his actions. Then the adults will explain why he’s wrong.
1
Nice. Some actual facts will be refreshing after Trump’s fantasy and hysteria-mongering.
113
@Dagwood
...can't be certain americans will get facts from DLC corporate dems...didn't get from 8 years obama, which is how we did get Trump, pence (trump's cheney) Warren-Sanders have both authored ethical issue oriented rebuttal to unethical Trump-GOP. We do not need corporate dem - more of same..
1
@Dagwood. You expect Pelosi to have facts? Amusing.
@Dagwood
Trump will probably sound like the title of a 1966 Alan Arkin movie "The Russians are coming!" but Trump will replace Russians with "MS-13 and terrorists" using no data or facts to back up his lies and exaggerations.
P.S. - The Russians already came and spoke with Trump campaign representatives Paul Manafort, Donny Jr. and Jared Kushner in Trump Tower who welcomed them with open arms. The Russians also funneled election money through the NRA to the Trump campaign with the help of Maria Butina. See Bob Mueller for details as needed.
2
trump says that he can "relate" to those who are missing paychecks.
They'll be fine, he assures us.
They will "adjust".
This from a man that, when he was 2 years old, was already hauling in $200,000 a year.
This man has been making "humanitarian" disasters all of his life.
Just ask those that he has stiffed on business payments or suckered into going to his fake-university.
The ones in real crisis are the little kids in dog cages.
United Nations! I know you laughed at him when he last spoke to you - but this man is not a joke!
Help us!
At least investigate the children!
Please!
252
@rosa Dear Rosa, Everyone, every organization has been slow off the mark to do something about Trump, starting with the Republicans and moving right through European governments. The United Nations is dependent on $$$ from the U.S., they do not want to make waves. We are all finding out how much time it will take together rid of this monster. Hold on, it will happen. I trust in the constitution that much.
6
@rosa He is a joke. It's just that the joke isn't often very funny.
6
@virginia kast The constitution is no better than We the People supporting it. If we let it fail, it fails. Most important: when we see someone like Trump running roughshod over that document, it is not the time to fail to vote during elections. There is no excuse for that at any time, really, but now?
Also call, tweet, FB, instagram, write your elected representatives. Between elections, politicians listen to the most numerous voices and the biggest money donors; sans numerous voices, they just have the money donors. Only the threat of not being re-elected has a chance to trump the money, most times.
1
I am glad to read that the Democrats will counter whatever comes out of the White House. It is time to answer a political strategy geared to validating the erroneous ideas such as the woman that Sen. John McCain had to correct that Barack Obama was not a Muslim in 2008. American should not be held hostage by people who so readily accept such nonsense.
168
@Paul Burnam
What the woman actually said was "He's an Arab," to which McCain replied, "He's a good man."
McCain could have used the moment to educate his followers, but he didn't.
Americans, in general, are not well educated. And, unfortunately many go into the voting booth.
5
Tit for tat leads to nat-not a thing.
The Democrats should carry on business and let Mc Connell look ridiculous. The Dems must or at the very least should strive to convince the American electorate that they came to Washington to serve the interests of the people. Let the Republicans act irresponsibly, their game is over.
31
@FREDTERR: Delivering a clear rational calm rebuke is useful to balance out Trump's crazy ranting and McConnell's allowing Trump to do it.
1
@FREDTERR. Trump’s lies MUST be called out. Doing nothing is worst idea possible.
1
Trump shut down the Government as a power play to get his coveted wall.
Trump is obligated to re-open government ASAP.
If he does not, VP Pence is obligated to use Article 25 to remove Trump.
If Pence fails to remove Trump, Congress must impeach Trump AND Pence. The people will support this.
109
@Aunty W Bush
All it would really take is for congress to actually do its job of being that check & balance on the President.
5
@Aunty W Bush
I am "a people." I would not support this and I despise Trump. Have for over 40 years. He won. Until he is proven guilty of "high crimes and misdemeanors" he has earned the right to hold office and to try and enact his policies.
Congress is supposed to keep him in check. Democrats are supposed to nominate a candidate that is not as hated as Trump and does not blow an unblowable election. Elections have consequences. We don't get a do-over because we don't like what the winner is doing.
My hope is that Speaker Pelosi and Senator Schumer avoid using the word "immoral" altogether, and instead focus their argument on facts--the impracticality of Trump's wall and the waste of taxpayer dollars. Perhaps quote Mick Mulveney who said the wall is "simplistic, absurd and almost childish."
185
@Mary
I agree, Mary. "Immoral" is a weak political argument.
And I would add to the quote list: How about Mayor Bloomberg at the 2016 Democratic convention: If Trump runs the country like he runs his business...God help us.
They might also quote the U.S. Constitution: The power of the purse belongs to Congress, subject to a presidential veto. They might mimic the Gold Star father and pull a copy of the Constitution out of their pocket.
9
@Mary I hear you, but regardless of what they say, those that follow Trump will simply make up what they want the "evil liberals" to have said and believe that this is what they in fact said.
3
@Mary
Trump will probably use people who have lost family or co-workers to illegal immigrants as props. The Democrats need to show that they care about the loss of life. I would suggest showing stats that show more women have been killed by people they know than the number pf people killed by illegal immigrants.
Maybe they should feature the Texans who don't want their land expropriated for more fencing. Whatever they say, they must not ignore the feelings of those who live at the border and say they feel unsafe.
5
Democrats, this is a pivotal moment that could resonate far and wide. Will you tell the nation how and why we cannot allow Trump to take the federal government hostage over a ludicrous campaign promise, or will you allow him to control the narrative and get away with it?
Get it right.
173
How sad and shameful is it that we cannot count on the President to tell the truth. Even on the most basic, trivial matters. Why does one party (D) always have to act as the grown-ups in watching over this childish, immoral President? Where is the GOP in all of this? Where are the serious, patriotic Republicans that are willing to put country over party? Prioritize decency and morals over power? I've been waiting for many years and, unfortunately, don't expect answers to these questions any time soon.
102
Democrats should buy two minutes of advertising right before Trump's speech and lay out the truth.
140
@Riley, compelling idea.
3
@BearBoy
Another Right Wing talking point that is UNTRUE.
1
Absolutely the right thing to do! Naturally, Trump is guaranteed to tell lies masking them as "facts". Still, the hope is that in the end he will be forced into an ignominious retreat from his "wall" while screeching to his base that all along he's been doing his best by them. How on earth did the sweetest country on earth for which so many have died to protect come down to this? Giving a despot just enough airtime just to placate him, oh my goodness. How mighty indeed are the fallen and I am thinking of those who truly love and loved this country not Trump.
22
They need to bring some furloughed federal employees, employees who are not being paid, employees who are taking out loans to buy food & pay mortgages & gas to go to work for no pay, bring these families in to the Senate Chamber to shame the republicans for supporting trump unconditionally. trump wants a spectacle let there be one with the man being faced by his lies that unpaid employees support him 100%.
Bring it on!
65
This just in: President Trump is expected to reveal tonight during his address to the nation that when he promised that there would be a wall on the border with Mexico he was not referring to a solid structure designed to keep people out but instead was referring to a w.a.l.l., i.e. a waste allocation load lifter, as depicted in the PIXAR film WALL-E. It will be used to pick up the garbage left behind by immigrants crossing the border illegally. Trump says that if the border w.a.l.l. is successful he will have one installed at the White House. In response Democrats are expected to argue that a fleet of w.a.l.l.'s will be necessary to clean up all the garbage generated by the President and his staff.
11
A response from the two most powerful Democrats is an excellent idea. They might start by debunking the false narrative peddled by Trump and Sarah Sanders since before the mid terms to justify militarization of the border, for example, categorizing everyone who entered the US from certain countries as suspected terrorists.
They might contrast effective means of managing immigration with those chaotic and intentionally cruel methods of the Trump Administration.
E-Verify would have prevented the employment of undocumented immigrants at the Trump Golf Club in NJ. Instead, Trump employees would have chosen to ignore letters from Social Security that told them there was a problem with the social security numbers used in payments, just as they chose to hide these undocumented workers from the Secret Service.
I don't plan to watch Trump speak but I will tune in for the two Congressional leaders. Mitch McConnell will be hiding in the bushes, a trick he learned from Sean Spicer.
76
@Look Ahead
You really should watch Trump's speech. Prime time network TV has no good comedy anymore, so this will be a refreshing change of pace.
2
@Look Ahead, I get why you do not want to watch him. I don't either. But I would argue that it is our civic duty to hear the hot mess first hand if for no other reason than to be able to say we did so when discussing his performance.
1
that the so called "leaders" of the Democratic party will be allowed to respond to the "Presidents" message is disturbing to me.I can remember as far back as JFK coming on TV to inform us of the Cuban missile crises. since that time i do not recall the party not in the oval office being allowed to retort to the President in the manner that is being afforded the Democrats. Will this become the new normal ?
9
@dan milligan Since this will obviously be a political message from Trump, coming as it does in the middle of a shutdown showdown with no discernible real crisis in sight, the other party response is as appropriate as the rebuttals after things like state of the union addresses.
The only things happening at the southern border now that haven't been happening for decades are 1) fewer people are coming, and 2) more families with children are coming.
If the number of people coming before was never a worthy of declaring a national emergency, it definitely isn't worth it now.
More families coming just highlights the crisis it is for those families because of the horror from which many of them flee, not any crisis for Americans except having to watch the Trump administration treat them like [expletive-deleted].
4
@dan milligan
They want to respond because he is going to lie. They want respond (not retort) to correct the record. Perhaps this has never happened before in history because it was not necessary.
6
@dan milligan - Dan: This is because JFK wasn't known for daily falsehoods emanating from the White House and Twitter. The new normal is constant lying, which is a very sad state of affairs. It will be refreshing to hear pushback on his constant stream of "alternative facts". Be disturbed by falsehoods - not their rebuttals.
8
First big question. Why did Trump wait until the Dems gained power in the house to demand his 'wall' $ and force a shutdown? Why didn't the GOP give him the bucks when they held all 3 branches of power?
A desperate political ploy by a desperate man.
290
@MJB-KC
MUB-KC Bring up a very good question. I completely agree that all this nonsense is nothing more than desperate measures as shown by Trump.
The comforting fact is that the majority of folks who listen to "the broadcast" will see right through it and not believe one word.
Only thing left to be done is to IMPEACH.
11
@MJB-KC The Flake Senator and McCain said no. Both of them are gone now.
2
@MJB-KC
He did ask then. Republicans wouldn't fund it either. They had full control for two years, and would not pass it.
11
Their response should be “We’ll be glad to work with Mexico to get them to pay for the wall so that you can keep your promise to the American people.”
57
@MikeG No, they should say "we expect you will work with Mexico to obtain funding for your wall, as you repeatedly promised during your campaign." They should not do his impossible (and stupid) work for him, let him learn for once that words and actions have consequences. This man has lived through 3 quarters of his life and never learned this lesson. It's about time.
6
As it should be.
Don't go after Trump in this message - stick to the facts.
Facts are like kryptonite to Zod.
49
Has Trump, and have the Republicans in Congress, given any thought to what this long drawn-out shut down is doing to the image of federal employment? I'm guessing that many of the furloughed workers are using their unpaid vacation to research the opportunities in the private sector. I'm guessing that many of the essential workers are thinking hard about the same, and hoping to make a job switch within the year to avoid a similar debacle next December. If there's a growing glut of vacancies, they won't exactly be the most attractive to job seekers for a long while.
10
@Barbara Pines
I'm actually wondering if that has been part of the plan all along; it's certainly one way to reduce the government, and I wouldn't put it past them to think it was a good idea.
1
A Democratic response is right and proper. There is no way Trump's rationalizing should go unanswered. This issue is of Trump's making. As Rep. Hoyer says, “There is no crisis, there is no invasion, there is no clear and present danger...." It is not a partisan issue, it's an American one - and especially in this case Democrats are proving that they're working for all Americans.
79
What's the reason Nancy Pelosi isn't putting interstate commerce and the nation's airport workers first? The nation's mail service and interstate supplies such as food from the nation's farming communities to the inner cities of this country depends on this nation's transportation system, not the IRS.
The IRS can't wait until Friday. The democrat's don't seem to have the nation's priorities straight. Those states recovering from hurricanes rely on supplies to the area.
You can have all the money in the world, but without a transportation system that money doesn't do you any good.
There was a picture this week of the diner opened for business, and the diner was using a tarp as a wall. These business owners need to be commended for their efforts to stay in business.
2
Nancy and the House Democrats can pass legislation, but it also has to pass the Senate. Then it's off to POTUS to be signed or vetoed. Regardless, the Dems have had the House majority for LESS THAN A WEEK.
1
@C.A. Scozzari: you mean the hurricanes that happened when the GOP had control of both houses and the WH for 2 solid years... those hurricanes?
the chaos of those suffering is the fault of one party, and one party only. what did you do to let the GOP know this was unacceptable?
2
@C.A. Scozzari Call her office and let her know your complaint. That is the only way you are going to get heard. However, if you voted republican I don't know who you would call since all of them is for the shutdown.
1
Here’s the solution -
Reopen the government with all that entails: restoring services and paying employees.
Then negotiate changes to immigration law and funding. Republicans historically haven’t even been able to agree among themselves what has to be done. There is also disagreement among Democrats. This is a problem Congress has to solve with input from the WH. It won’t be easy and won’t be solved with a sound bite or a tweet.
Negotiate, compromise and make the situation better without this self-created drama. That is what the American people have the right to expect at the very least from our elected officials.
16
In addition to Mr. Schumer and Ms. Pelosi's response, are any networks going to add in real time fact checks to whatever Mr. Trump is going to address? I feel like at this point we need them.
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@Kristy That should be happening EVERY time the media covers Trump live. Text scroll in a window side by side with the camera view of Trump, sort of like a sign language window for the hearing impaired.
24
@Kristy
It would be wonderful if every legitimate news outlet - print, cable, and network TV did a "Blow by Blow" I mean Lie by Lie account of the president this evening.
It will be quite sad for "normal and sane" Americans to have to stand by and watch Trump make false claims about his unnecessary Border Wall.
19
@Kristy They are already saying which lies POTUS will repeat. Piece of cake before and after!
12
I have a lot of respect for Pelosi and Schumer as savvy political operators, and for Pelosi for many of her policy positions (not so much for Schumer the Facebook and Wall Street apologist). Regardless, neither one serves well as a spokesperson to counter Trump, in terms of their appearance, manner, speaking style, or credibility. They and the Dems need to recognize that those qualities are part of the fight to rebut Trump on his policies and lies, not least regarding immigration. I realize that picking substitute representatives for the rebuttal would have been a tough task, especially given 2020 presidential politics already heating up. But it would have been worth the effort.
All that being said, I'll look forward to their rebuttal, look for them to explicitly call him out on his lies, contrast the misery his border policies are inflicting on so many with the patent falsehoods in his claims, and hope that I'm wrong in dismissing them as powerful Party spokespersons against him.
32
@Thunder Road Couldn't agree more. The Democrats needs a communications specalists in all aspects of their operations. Not only Schumer and Pelosi are not good at communicating but I can't think of one person in the Democrat party who is. This is the skill that is most needed to combat the GOP. They already have intelligence.
@Thunder Road
I am 100% with you. The ability to speak well is necessary to engage Americans. Sadly, Schumer and Pelosi do not have this quality... and Democrats will lose this opportunity because of their lack of "charisma." Kamala Harris easily comes to mind as a Senator who is articulate, smart and bold... and who has the charisma to make you want to listen. We need for Congressional Democrats to acknowledge this and quietly ask Schumer and Pelosi to step aside at future opportunities.
3
@Thunder Road I, on the contrary, think they will make great spokespersons to counter Trump, in terms of their appearance (natural hair and skin color, well tailored and tasteful attire), cohesiveness of speech, use of logic, proper grammar and complete sentences.
8
I hope the Message from the House goes somewhat along these lines: There can be no negotiation with a hostage-taker and there can be no negotiation with someone you can't trust. Mr Trump needs to release the government he has taken hostage . Any negotiation will have to take place after this; and if a deal is reached, Mr Trump will be expected to deliver whatever he has agreed to before he gets anything at all.
39
@J L S F There is no need to make a deal. Trump is boxed in. Eventually enough GOP Senators will vote to override the veto. I believe McConnell won't bring the House bill to the floor because he's afraid it will happen.
2
It’s a mistake for Pelosi and Schumer to give the rebuttal:
1. What’s needed is a trial lawyer legislator who’s given responsive closing arguments. Preferably a young, fresh face to contrast with Individual-1. And someone who can provide immediate, on-the-fly fact-checking to integrate into a prepared outline of what we should be doing to solve immigration and why we need our government up and running.
2. To get the government funded, Pelosi and Schumer will have to carry legislation that Individual-1 will have to sign (or that 2/3 of the House and Senate will have to endorse). They should stay away from what’s going to happen tonight, so that they can step in to pick up the pieces without having confronted Individual-1 with his lies and braggadocio.
20
@KenFromBerkeley
In some ways this makes sense, but I think there will be some benefit of exposing the masses of undecided and Trump loyalists to these "heavyweights" if only to let people who have never seen them or heard them talk to see the human beings behind the Trump vilification and possibly even see what it is like to have logical and sane speech.
4
@kenfromberkeleyHow about Adam Schiff or someone who can speak very clearly to rebut the Liar, and someone who has managed to get the Liar’s skin more than once. Chuck Schumer is not a good speaker - Nancy Pelosi always has her facts straight though.
4
Good! I predict trump will declare a national emergency, thus ending the government shutdown. The wall idea will then go to the courts where is might stay for a long time. Glad the Democrats will be able to correct the multiple untruths that trump will surely tell.
13
Schumer and Pelosi need to do more than just talk about the hurt that Trump is inflicting. They need to discuss alternatives to the wall - they need to acknowledge the need for immigration reform and suggest the bipartisan agreement that was touted under Obama (i think that's when it was?) or another solution that doesn't acknowledge an "emergency" (because it isn't) but does admit the system needs help fixing.
9
@Kahnotcca,
they would like to negotiate immigration reform after the rest of govt is opened first. this makes sense since the stupid border wall is part of the greater immigration discussion- NOT part of funding the govt.
2
Will those who have vowed not to listen to President Trump's address tonight to the nation regarding the need for a wall along the southern border listen to the the responses from Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer? I am sure they will. If they do, they will be hearing only from one side which does not want the wall under any circumstances. Mrs. Pelosi has said this many times.
I will along with many others will hear from both sides tonight. I think it is only fair to hear from all corners. This is too important an issue to miss any viewpoint. I have an open mind. Of course, I still think Mr. Trump is correct to want a wall to keep out illegals and those who should not be in our country. He is thinking of our safety and security. The Democrats are not. They care more about illegals than US citizens.
4
@WPLMMT,
"I have an open mind. Of course, I still think Mr. Trump is correct to want a wall to keep out illegals and those who should not be in our country. He is thinking of our safety and security. The Democrats are not. They care more about illegals than US citizens."
HOW is this an open mind?
4
@WPLMMT I'm normally in your camp of listening to both sides, and read a variety of news sources for that reason. Won't be listening to trump tonight, however, because he will just spew lies. That's not presenting a particular perspective on an issue for consideration, that's useless self-serving garbage that does not inform me in the least.
3
@WPLMMT we've already heard the Trump presentation. Fulf of lies, and tonight won't be any different, anything new.
Save yourself some time and just read the transcripts.
3
Mr Trump will try to appear tough and inflexible to his "base". However, obvious points are: Mexico is not paying for this wall as Mr Trump promised. He spent two years with control of both houses and failed to make his wall happen and there is no sudden security crisis. He is using federal workers as a blackmail item, those workers are utterly blameless in this impasse.
52
I remember being stuck in Europe at the end of 95' waiting for the U.S. Embassy to re-open to get my visa. This shutdown affects so many people, of course the very first being government workers going without pay. The outcome is hard to foresee with this unpredictable and childish spoiled man. He does not care; he just wants to keep face. So if an override by Congress is unlikely (would need many Republican senators) and Trump keeps his stance and won't negotiate, then I really hope Democrats in Congress will not cave either.
16
Courtesy of the TV at work, I just heard Trump say he's still deciding whether or not to declare the situation at the border an emergency. Seems to me that if he has the luxury of decision time, then there's no emergency.
Once again, in saying more than necessary (the man just can't resist a microphone), he tipped his hand that any crisis is a fabrication, and that he's not beyond lying (as if that's news) to try to get his way.
If Trump thinks his forthcoming speech and outrageous tactics will sway things to his favor, he lives in the same Fantasyland where I can click my heels three times and wish hard that he disappears.
131
@D Price
You are SO right with your comment: “I just heard Trump say he's still deciding whether or not to declare the situation at the border an emergency. Seems to me that if he has the luxury of decision time, then there's no emergency.”
2
It is so good that the Democrats in the House and Senate are front and center in countering Trump's delusions and misrepresentations regarding what's really needed for border security. I just wish that Trump someday will have a Humpty Dumpty moment the next time he visits a wall.
10
The Trump presidency has become a test as to whether the rule of law in America will stand up to the deception of a renegade president.
Since Trump has become a symbol of deception and dishonesty the struggle in our divided government is whether the truth will prevail or whether honesty is no longer necessary in American politics.
The outcome of this struggle may be a turning point for the United States!
25
First: Trump cannot be allowed to get away with declaring a national emergency when there is none. If he does, he will declare an emergency whenever he wants something to please his base.
Second:
"A group of Senate Democrats announced they would spend Tuesday evening taking turns on the Senate floor calling on Senator Mitch McConnell, …to bring up the House-passed legislation to reopen the government."
The Senate Democrats can do more than give speeches. They can make it impossible for McConnell to move any bills through the Senate until the government is reopened.
It takes a vote of 60 members to bring a bill to the floor. If the Democrats as a unified group refuse to go along zero-none-zilch-nada of McConnell's nefarious work can get done.
Read this article, "Time to Play Hardball" (https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/01/07/time-play-hardball-progressives-pressure-senate-democrats-stonewall-all-bills-dont)
and CALL YOUR DEMOCRATIC SENATOR today.
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@Philip S. Wenz.
Call or write your Senators today, no matter his or her party.
23
@BearBoy
The top one-tenth of 1% now own as much wealth as the bottom 90%.
There's only one group that is intent on plundering this country's "wealth and resources".
"Most Americans" would love to round up that group of privileged white people into a caged camp at the southern border and give them a piece of our minds.
13
That is called fear mongering.
2