Federal funding for Trumps border wall looks to be delayed. In an effort to pass a budget for the fiscal 2017-2018 year, Paul Ryan and the house will delay federal funding in an attempt to prevent a government shutdown. With Democrats and a few Republicans united against funding for a border wall it appears unlikely that Republicans have enough votes to get a budget passed and advert a shutdown.
Two Republicans, Rep. Will Hurd (R-TX) and Rep. Martha McSally (R-Az) have joined the Democrats in voicing opposition to funding a border wall, claiming that it was not a good use of tax payer dollars. There is also opposition in the Senate, with our favorite Senator, John McCain working with Democrats to make sure no wall is built. He is more concerned with what Mexicans think about America.
“There is a lot of anti-American sentiment in Mexico,” McCain said during a Senate hearing with Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John Kelly. “If the election were tomorrow in Mexico, you’d probably have a left-wing, anti-American president in Mexico. That can’t be good for America.”
Sen. McCain has been very vocal in his opposition to many of Trump’s policies and has been the most vocal against building a border wall. During his Presidential and Senate runs McCain was in support of building a physical wall but now is one of the leading Senators against it. Republicans that oppose the wall, claim that high tech security is more efficient use of tax payer dollars and works just as well as a physical barrier.
Proponents of the wall say that a physical barrier is a necessity on the southern border because it slows the tide of illegal immigration as well as limiting the ability of drug cartels, human traffickers and terrorists that have access to the United States from Mexico.
The wall was one of Trumps central campaign issues, and if in fact funding for the wall is delayed it will be another defeat for a President who presented himself as always winning. Delays in Washington are never good, many times momentum and political will to accomplish a major issue only comes around once, and when opponents of the wall are able to stop funding without a major fight, it signals that there may not be as much political will to get the wall done as once was thought.
Trumps first 100 days have been rough. The botched rollout and failure to pass a repeal for healthcare, many of his executive orders have been taken to court, and now the potential delay in funding for a wall has shown the inexperience of a young President. Typically, the first 100 days of a president’s administration is when he takes charge of his party, sets his legislative agenda and sets the course for his Presidency, with Trump that hasn’t happened. He has faced rebellions in his party and his agenda has been chaotic. Many people would say that the first days of a Trump presidency have been a failure. His supporters that bought into his campaign rhetoric have been disappointed with the administration and their failures. It is why fighting for funding of the wall now and not later is so important. He needs to mount a comeback. Fighting to fulfill his promises will energize Trump’s base, and a victory is something that his supporters need to keep them engaged.