Steeleballz

Giving Trump the wall would be politically costly for the Democrats, given that they have made it an issue from day one. It would also be a huge victory for the president. You have to ask what would need to be given back to offset that. When Trump talks about how he won, the Democrat's would have to be able to say they won too. I don't know what he could give realistically to do that.

I don't believe negotiations will lead to a wall. If it is even a possibility, what the Democrats would want in return would be too much. What I am saying is they are not even listening to his offers right now. If they reopen the will "negotiate" but you are right, I don't see a wall coming out of that. Right now we have a stalemate, with the likely choices being reopen the government and don't get a wall, or use executive power and get one. I think both of those are Trump's choice. The 3rd choice is wait and see who feels enough political pressure to cave. Given the personalities and history, that could be a while. They can pretend the current negotiations are leading somewhere, but we all know they are not.

Offer them more, or ask them what they want. I think the Democrats already answered. Reopening the government is a prerequisite to further discussion.

I'm sure you see it that way. Democrats don't want the wall. They won't lose support for not caving in on that. If Trump uses executive power to do it, that is his risk/benefit alone. Obviously there is a reason he hasn't done it yet. I would say Trump is not getting the wall the way he's going right now. He's supposed to know the art of the deal so he should be able to figure this one out. He has to know his bargaining position, so he is underestimating his opposition. Let's see how long it takes. He's not going to be able to give some fluff to the Democrat's to get the wall. He's going to have to give them everything they wanted and more. I don't see it happening.

The only way to find that out is to open the government and try. It's what every other leader and every other government in the world has done and continues to do. Trump isn't going to force the wall this way. The only difference in how this ends is who looks worse for letting it go on, the president or the Democrats. Right now it's Trump, and it will be until he shifts it back to the Democrats. You have to have a negotiating skill to fall back on when bullying doesn't work. He had 2 years to get by with that one. It's time to show us what else he has to work with.

If the alligator has been fed and if there are no baby alligators in the way, it's relatively safe. Chimpanzee's are far more dangerous and unpredictable. Well, at least until they make moderator.

Regardless, it seemed to work well either way.

On the bright side, we are no longer confined to using a thought experiment to know what would happen if the government was run by 4 year old children. We are getting an actual demonstration.

If the majority of Americans supported building a wall and if congress was willing to fund it, then yes it would be America's wall. I don't see either of those being the case yet.

I would say the ball is in the Republican's court for another 2 years at least. Only difference is they need the Democrats to cooperate now. To get the Democrats to do that will probably require considerable concessions in other areas.

Just for picking McDonald's over Burger King.

Before you fall too hard for your own rhetoric, the question you might want to ask is why didn't Republicans give Trump his wall. They certainly had the opportunity to do so.

People always tell me I'm only as old as I feel. I know they mean well, but unfortunately that makes me about 110.

I understand. I do the same thing when I tell my wife I'll mow the lawn on Sunday. Next Sunday.

Pharmaceutical companies are big fans of the current health care system. This probe has a lot of greasy palms to get past for anything to really happen though. I don't have my hopes to high that anything will ultimately be accomplished.