Mitch McConnell is a career politician who married into a very wealthy family. I am not saying he is just like John Kerry, just that he acts like him sometimes.
Mitch does not know how to negotiate, that much is clear, he is a good parliamentary tactician who used the rules of the Senate to deliver Gorsuch, but he is out of his depths in big negotiations.
And there is none bigger than the crisis at our border. With more caravans coming and with Texas completely overwhelmed, Trump had to try to stir up the pot.
He wants the Democrats to use this emergency to pass laws to protect us - end chain migration or maybe even birth citizenship because if we don’t take the incentives out of illegal immigration we will never solve it.
Sure many would still come for the jobs, but by taking away the main prize from the trip - giving their children and other family members the biggest gift in the world, American citizenship, we would drastically halt illegal immigration.
That would require Congress and Trump has no illusions so at the same time, he told Mexico to block the caravans.
Mexico could do so if they wanted just as the Democrats could work with Trump to solve the problem that has been going on for 30 years.
But Trump knows politicians. They do not act unless they are forced to, so he is threatening to close the border.
Is Trump bluffing? No one, least of all Pelosi and Obrador know, which is why Mitch stabbing Trump in the back today was so stupid. Let Trump try to make a deal, if the Dems and Mexico believe him to be serious, they may do the right thing.
From Politico:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, in a rebuke to President Donald Trump, said on Tuesday that closing the border between the United States and Mexico would potentially be “catastrophic.”
Trump first threatened on Twitter on Friday to close the southern border if Mexico did not do more prevent undocumented immigrants from coming to the United States. He reiterated on Tuesday that if Mexico or Congress didn’t do more to address the issue, he would shut it down. Trump acknowledged on Tuesday that closing the border would have negative economic consequences — particularly when in terms of trade with Mexico — but he said security took precedence.
McConnell said on Tuesday that while he agreed with Trump that there is a crisis at the border, shutting down the border was not the answer.
“We certainly have a crisis on the border. I think the president’s right about that. Closing down the border would have potentially catastrophic economic impact on our country, and I would hope we would not be doing that,” McConnell said.
“If we don’t make a deal with Congress, the Mexico border’s going to be closed. 100 percent,” Trump said. “Or we’re going to close large sections of the border, maybe not all of it. But it’s the only way we’re getting a response, and I’m totally ready to do it,” Trump said.
