T-4 and counting!

The civil war within the Republican Party continues. This time it is the nation’s security that is being held hostage.

Republicans are squabbling over the funding of the Department of Homeland Security. The DHS is responsible for securing the nation’s borders. It is also responsible for implementing the president’s hated executive orders on immigration reform.

Securing the borders…good.

Implementing the president’s executive orders…bad.

Moderate Republicans want to pass a clean DHS funding bill with no strings attached. But the conservative base wants to stick it to the president by blocking his immigration efforts.

What to do…what to do?

The brilliant policy makers in the House decide to craft a bill that would fund the DHS but omit any funding for the president’s immigration reform effort. Never mind that the president would never sign a bill that does not include funding for one of his key initiatives. That’s “ok” say Republican political gurus. “Let the president be the one who shuts down DHS.” After all…politics trumps national security…right?

The House passes the bill.

The bill moves to the Senate. Majority Leader McConnell…who has promised that there will be no shutdown of government services…can’t marshal the votes to pass the bill.

The bill fails.

T-4 days until the DHS runs out of money. T-4 days until 30,000 DHS workers will be furloughed and 200,000 “essential personnel” will be required to report to work without paychecks.

57% of Americans polled say that if the DHS shuts down in will be the Republican’s fault.

Well done.

T-4 and counting!