The Turtle is wily. He has an end game or he wouldn't be playing the fool.

He's probably told Trump he has a month to play with, and then this poorly-written play will close.

because he obstructed them for the majority of Obama's terms.

now he's filled those positions with RWNJs and we weren't able to do a thing about it.

he blocked Garland and denied Obama a SCOTUS pick, and we weren't able to do a thing about it.

he's been there since 1984 - 6 terms - 35 years, going on 36. he's been drinking our milkshake since assuming GOP leadership in 2006, whether he's majority or minority leader. so, yeah... he's wily.

Mitch McConnell had to know the fix was in on this 2016 election, or he would not have blocked the Supreme Court nomination of the very moderate Merrick Garland. The blocking of Obama's other judicial appointments was also very suspicious. And now he is refusing to allow a vote on a measure that would reopen the federal government, when a number of Republicans are said to be ready to give it a veto-proof majority. He had to know about some massive hidden support system insuring that he could violate the US Constitution in these ways, with impunity.

by using political blackmail to restrain PBO from revealing what was then known about Individual 1's attachment to Putin. That it may come back to bite him big time is eveidence that he isn't so smart.

That aside, there's little doubt he's controlling this shutdown, and it's entirely to weaken House Dems at the outset of this Congress.

How's that working for him

The GOP apparently believes that the General Public will forget about this shutdown by November 2020.

It's a good bet.

and now they endanger the lives of Americans to protect him. I don't think anyone is going to forget anything, especially as he is never going to change and his egregious behavior will be there to remind them every day until the next election. His base is not large enough and he's done nothing to grow it, in fact, it is shrinking.

the ones that barely know there's a shutdown. the "Independents" who think "both parties are the same".

they exist. they vote. they won't remember. after all, there's going to be an Impeachment between now and then.

the GOP has made this bet before and it paid off. the nation awarded their obstruction and intransigence with complete control of the Federal government in 2016.

But as with so much the last 2 years, the cw no longer applies. And those low-info people are the ones being impacted, also, by loss of income. Money talks.

Mitch is in Russian money up to his eye balls. So is Lindsey Graham.

Love the "traitor tot".

And I would be very hesitant to spread any sauces on my tots, if I were the pResident.

Wonder how many minions have already been offed by polonium. You have to have a death wish if you work for that party.

Like holdin' up a mirror, that rather homogenous bunch sure will be regretting all this.

Mitch can strongarm enough senators in his party to pass a veto-proof bill. Some of Trump’s more rabid base might complain, but most people, including Republicans, would think that the Senate was finally doing their job and acting like the adults in the room. The shutdown is not popular and gets less so every day.

Joy Reid's special last week.

She is one tough customer! She has thought through all her steps and is very strategic.

I have total confidence!

Keep putting the onus on McTurtle & Co.

Imagine that McConnell finally feels enough pressure to allow a Senate vote on the House-passed bill. Either the GOP stand in opposition and the bill dies or enough Republicans vote for the bill.

In the first instance, the Republicans will own the shutdown even more than they already do. Americans will increasingly turn away from the party of "No." In the second instance, the bill would face a potential veto by Trump. In that case, it's hard to see how both Houses won't override the veto. The nation's air travel is in jeopardy.

Well played, Madame Speaker. Keep it up! You have my support.

Think of the ripples spreading out if therer is little or no air travel?

Total chaos in America.
And THAT is what thgis is about.

Financial, structural and political destruction....

The thing is simply this: Members of Congress don't go to National Parks or worry about the EPA.

But they all have to fly. This could be the way that they learn first-hand how their behavior in Congress affects people's lives.

Regarding the breadth of problems caused by the Trump Shutdown, let me call your attention to this post by an air traffic controller who outlines the secondary and tertiary effects of the shutdown:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=11657776

This story is but one example of how Trump has damaged many facets of one agency he won't fund.

Keep in mind that many other organizations will have the same trickle-outwards effects. Think of the results for the EPA, IRS, NPS and many others.

With respect to your theory that Trump's plan is the total destruction of our country and society, we'll have to wait and see.

pilots, etc, as I am sure you know.

As for my trump theory, I would say it is 'putin's plan, and it is working to a T,, even faster than I thgoughtm and I am the eternal pessimist,,,


BTW, I love listening to some live atc VIDEOS,, boston john AND THE HLARIOUS GUY AT jfk.. bOTH RETIORED i BELIEVE,,

Those guys are brilliant, pure artistic genius

They have to do what is right for the country, not what trump wants. All they have to do is take a vote, and override any veto trump may impose. The vast majority of Americans want this shutdown to end, no matter what trump says.

Speaker Pelosi understands the stakes. Give Donald the wall and he has a dictatorship. He already has the cult of personality and has done wholesale damage to our government. If he gets the wall then he can fulfill that, "I alone can fix it" boast. Deny him the wall and we continue to be a nation of law.

If air travel is shut down..
total chaos..

No wall he will declare a national emeregency. At that point he is a dictator.

He plays the long game, and he's smart.

It is never as simple as we want it to be.

is his onlyhope for a personal long game. In other words, keeping Putin happy. There is no difference.

Moscow Mitch's end game is all about.

that he's up to his chin waddle in rubles...

Last week he told Schumer that if he allowed the government to be reopened without his wall, he would look foolish.

We’re looking at a situation where the funding billing will likely be approved by the House and Senate and then vetoed.

At that point, the Republicans may say enough is enough and override.

if they keep Government People away from their jobs. McConnell's Local and DC office phones should be ringing continuously.

But the part of government that issues $0.00 pay stubs is mission critical and working just fine. Heckuva job, Republicans!

Amazing to think about how some wanted to choose someone else to be Speaker. So much hand-wringing about wanting "new blood" or "someone younger" ... basically they wanted change for the sake of change. What a short-sighted mistake that would have been! Especially NOW.

He is saying he can do it but it would have to go to the Courts.
He agreed to back pay for the workers this afternoon. Little by little Trump is losing, so is McConnell.

Democrats really went after him today. Then he whined he could not understand why the Senate was closed.

That dog don’t hunt!

the ones who said she couldn't do it...that she had to agree to bizarre parameters...all to help the other side, and not her/us.

Just curious, as to much money (campaign contributions) took from Putin.

sides want and ignore the one they can't: the wall. He'd be able to go back to his constituency and say. "I'm still fighting for this and then after he shuts up about it, let it die after about six months. By then his legal problems will bury the wall. His followers will be barking about his impending impeachment and then we adults can finally talk about border security in context of making citizenship reasonably possible and for temporary visas for temporary or seasonal workers.

Pelosi has the right idea. She's almost handing a life jackets to at the few Republicans who want to distance themselves from cheeto. Who has something on Mitch McConnell that he's acting against his own interests??

You can say you were there when she cut off the GOP's head, and they didn't even know they were bleeding.

to hang around Cocaine Mitch and Rump's necks. Because, so far, what I've been seeing is that most people still believe there isn't enough "negotiation" happening.

With all due respect for Nancy, I do not think these treasonous bastards can be sqyeezedd by out side.
UNLESS-- somebody gets something on them WORSE than the russiand haVE.

This fiasco is starting to hurt business travel and bottom lines, so many phone calls will be made. Their calls will be heard and acted on while ours go in the dust bin........

McConnell has never listened to his constituents, but only his big business donors and a few people in his Repug bubble at home.

Speaker Pelosi is doing her part well in applying maximum legislative pressure and keeping appropriate issues in the press.

Thank you, Madam Speaker!........

and they are already rattling the cages a bit. Just a bit.

(snip)

That is downright shameful, that he's a Senator.

Will do a sick out at CVG. Get Ohio involved too.

They can't strike, though. Reagan fixed that.

Funny thing: the president thinks so, too.

==============

it is obvious that McConnell is completely shameless. And besides, he knows he can win Kentucky next year if he just stays out of Trump's way.

Trump already took all of the GOP blame onto himself. McConnell's sitting pretty right now. He knows Trump will be gone someday, and that if he keeps on doing what he's doing, he'll be the survivor.