Truth or Consequences

So it turns out that the Trump administration has thrown a last-minute wrench into negotiations for a Stop Gap for the budget, which could cause big problems.  The White House now insists on including putting The Great Wall of Trump into the mix.

Budget Director Mike Mulvaney -- who is growing to becoming my favorite thoughtless, arrogant member of the Trump administration -- made the point the "Elections have consequences," which is why Democrats should get behind this.

Never mind that the Republican Party didn't consider this shibboleth to be of any merit during the eight years of Barack Obama's presidency,  the reality is that elections have more than "consequences," but also responsibilities.  After all, a president is chief executive for ALL Americans, no just those who voted for him.  Furthermore, if one wants to operate solely on the "elections have consequences," then one has to accept two things:  first, while Trump was elected president, three million more Americans voted for Hillary Clinton, so those votes have consequences.  And second, all the Democrats in the House and Senate won elections, so those hae consequences, too

Moreover, another thing to consider is that if dear Mr. Mulvaney wants to make a point that because Trump made certain matters policy issues during his campaign and so those must be headed -- his issue with his Great Wall was not that the U.S. government should pay for it, but that Mexico should.  So, if "elections have consequenes," then deal with that, bucko.  Get Mexico to pay for the Trump Wall.  That was the issue.

I also note that Mike Mulvaney is trying to horse-trade to get his Great Wall passed, and the administration is hoping that Democrats will consider White House support for insurance subsides to low-income Americans in the Trump health care bill, in exchange for supporting the Great Wall.  Forget for a moment whether even Republicans would go for this, it's my hope that Democrats say "It's your health care bill -- if you want to screw low-income Americans, then it's on you.  It's the law now, and we like it the way it is.  If you want to change it, then deal with the consequences.  Don't drag us into your hell.  And by the way, the Great Wall is a suck-eggs idea."

I don't think Democrats should (or will) support any Great Wall bill in exchange for a quid quo pro -- it's that horrible an idea -- but IF they ever even consider it, then they should get something in return that is SO major which they've been trying for years to get but have been blocked by the GOP (like single payer)...not a gracious acceptance of something they already have!!!

Or -- maybe they'd support it if he'd release his tax returns.