Analysis: President Donald Trump Hits a Wall - the new Democratic House
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Summary/Reaction: This article talks about the 10 minute address to the nation that President Trump gave on
Tuesday evening January 8th, 2019 in response to the lengthy government shutdown. This was the first time
that Trump has addressed the nation from the Oval Office and his purpose was to discuss the “dire security and
humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border” which he argued can only be solved through Congressional approval
of “$5.7 billion for a wall he says will block illegal immigration and illicit drugs.” After the President spoke,
the Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate (Pelosi and Schumer) also spoke
to the American people and argued that the President was holding the “American people hostage” by refusing
to end the government shutdown without Congress approving the $5.7 billion dollars for the wall.
My reaction to this article is one of dissatisfaction - the government has been shutdown for way too long and
it is having a negative impact on those government workers who are not getting paid and on all Americans
who depend on the federal government for airport security, food safety, etc. I really hope that the President
and Congress can come together to find a solution to reopen the government.
Tuesday evening January 8th, 2019 in response to the lengthy government shutdown. This was the first time
that Trump has addressed the nation from the Oval Office and his purpose was to discuss the “dire security and
humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border” which he argued can only be solved through Congressional approval
of “$5.7 billion for a wall he says will block illegal immigration and illicit drugs.” After the President spoke,
the Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate (Pelosi and Schumer) also spoke
to the American people and argued that the President was holding the “American people hostage” by refusing
to end the government shutdown without Congress approving the $5.7 billion dollars for the wall.
My reaction to this article is one of dissatisfaction - the government has been shutdown for way too long and
it is having a negative impact on those government workers who are not getting paid and on all Americans
who depend on the federal government for airport security, food safety, etc. I really hope that the President
and Congress can come together to find a solution to reopen the government.
History Connection: I can connect Trump’s address to the fireside chats given by President FDR
during the Great Depression. FDR used his weekly radio addresses to speak directly to the American
people and explain to them why they should support the New Deal and how the New Deal would help
get all Americans out of the Great Depression.
during the Great Depression. FDR used his weekly radio addresses to speak directly to the American
people and explain to them why they should support the New Deal and how the New Deal would help
get all Americans out of the Great Depression.
Question for Discussion: In the future, how can we solve differences between the branches
of government (in this case the President and Congress) without having to shutdown the government?
of government (in this case the President and Congress) without having to shutdown the government?
As you stated, the government shutdown has gone on for far too long. I see where the House and Senate are coming from when they say the President is keeping the American people hostage. I would say that Congress should be making more of an effort to form a compromise, but as of today President Trump has shut down yet another compromise regarding his border wall. Though this seems to be the President's fault from the media's standpoint, I can also see the President's point of view. He promised on several occasions in the past that a wall would be funded and built, one way or another. Simply put, without a compromise including this $5.7 billion, the wall will not be built, causing President Trump to fail at one of his #1 reasons for becoming president in the first place.
ReplyDeleteI think a grassroots effort is needed to pass a constitutional amendment that prohibits the president and his cabinet, as well as all members of Congress, from being paid at all (or for making up any lost salary) during a government shutdown. I have a feeling that this amendment would end government shutdowns for good since politicians would finally feel the pain themselves.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate your suggestion of a solution that would hurt all government workers equally rather than only those deemed nonessential. I agree that such an action might prevent future shutdowns.
DeleteI would first like to address that President Trump has won votes over trying to build a wall, and not just won votes but promised to build a wall whether the rest of the nation likes it or not, which seems pretty unfair. I would say that in the near future, due to this failure, people would have to go for a President that has a balance in between his/her point of view and the rest of the nations point of view rather than focusing on just one goal and targeting one group or the other. Thus, not only will the president focus on one nation he will focus on the nations overall safety. He promises to stop illicit drugs, but that is nearly impossible since drugs are not just soled and made in mexico this is worldwide also taking immigration wise. Regarding the government shut down, I would hope to see a better way of dealing and confronting issues rather than just shutting down something we depend on and giving it a break whilst it needs work on. I really did not see the point of the government shutdown it is only creating more problems rather than fixing the previous one.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the Congress and the President should come to terms or make an agreement as soon as possible because the government being shut down for this long already just creates more problems and tensions. By saying that the "Americans being kept hostage" just further tells us how it is affecting all the citizens. In a way I do understand where the President is coming from but I overall agree more with the Congress as to start the government running as soon as they can.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the government shutdown has lasted too long, negatively affecting many Americans and highlighting the tensions between Congress and the President. I think that there should be a limit of how long a government shutdown can last, in order to force the disagreeing branches of government to quickly make a compromise. This would make sure that government workers are paid in a reasonable amount of time and would minimize the consequences of the government shutdown.
ReplyDeleteThe President and Congress should make up and stop the current feud that has been going on, for it is the Presidents responsibility to keep the US under control. In the future perhaps the president and congress can come to a mutual agreement before taking any actions that they find necessary. Maybe next time, even if President Trump disagrees with congress and makes a move in retaliation, He will not shut down the government.
ReplyDeleteThis is an instance were we have a current President who has continually been a tormentor to many people in business. The Congress needs to finds ways of having complete arguments and discussions rather than throw a tantrum which Trump like a toddler has done with the Shut- Down. Congress should try to make ends meet with each branch of the government specifically the legislative branch. We need to have laws in which the President even has limitations, the people who voted for Trump, have seen his actions. Some agree with the wall some don't, but those who voted for him, they automatically agreed to having a wall. In 2020 people should look to dethroning the baby Cheeto. Many government workers are going through unbearable times when the country was supposed to represent Freedom, and the Pursuit of Happiness, which is not happening with the Shutdown and will not happen with the wall. Trump needs to, and other future presidents should have a form which they sign they will promise their campaign will be close to what they will do in office.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the government shut down should come to an end. Congress and the President need to come to a establishment. The government shutdown has already had an affect on the Americans. The President should be preventing this like this from happening, he should be doing everything to help the people. His people shouldn't have to suffer until he was able to get the money he needed to "block illegal immigration and illicit drugs." There needs to bean agreement.
ReplyDeleteI think the government shutdown should come to an end. The president and congress have to come to an agreement of some sort. This is the longest government shutdown in the history of the united states and its all because the president isnt getting his "precious" wall. According to huffington post, the government has been shutdown for so long that it wouldve cost less to give trump the funding for the wall, therefore this whole situation did not and should not have happened. Also what's the reason for a wall? we already have a border fence along a solid amount of our border. Is it to "stop all illegal immigration"?
ReplyDeleteI think that something, anything, needs to end the government shutdown at this point. I am extremely against the construction of this wall that Trump claims will fix all problems with immigration, but on top of this, the way in which Trump is going about this is ridiculous to me. If Congress isn't providing Trump with the funds, you would have thought he would get the message that this wall is not in the best interest of the country and isn't what the majority of American people want... I also believe this shutdown isn't doing anything for Trump; it is only making people lose work, angering citizens, and making Trump look more and more like he has no idea how to be President. I understand that Trump has a very strong opinion about his wall, but I don't think shutting down the government is the way to go about getting what you want; this is a democracy after all.
ReplyDeleteThe government shut down has lasted too long and affected so many Americans in a negative way. I think putting the American people in way of a disagreement between the President and Congress is very unfair. These people are working citizens trying to make a living, and now cant due to the fact that the government is shut down. It is affecting the functionality of the country.
ReplyDeleteI like your history connection because it provides a way to see the President's point of view on why people should support the wall. Also I agree the government has been on shutdown for a very long time and while we are still on shutdown it is costing us more money than what the wall is worth. In addition while the government is still shutdown I believe that it is unfair that federal workers are being expected to work, but not being payed until after the shutdown. This has effected many people greatly because even when they are permitted to leave during those days they are not being payed and that is just outrageous because America's economy is struggling and imagine the people in it. Exactly.
ReplyDeleteI agree with these Historical connects and I think we all agree that the Movement shut down was not a proper reaction the the "problems" we were having as a country. Many people haven't been paid for doing their job in weeks and some people still continue to do their jobs. This is effecting the entire nation and I think that were going to be hearing about the Trump presidency as a downfall in American History.
ReplyDelete