Speaking Up About the Shutdown

I spent my weekend at a Women’s Rally in my home state, and I came back home rejuvenated and inspired. I haven’t posted in awhile because, quite frankly, “Everything is terrible, and we’re all going to die” isn’t the message I want to promote in One More Small Voice. I am constantly overwhelmed by the news–do I focus on sexual harassment, the ongoing Mueller investigation, Trump’s Twitter, North Korea, immigration, women’s rights? Then I went to the rally, and I was surrounded by a group of people (women and men from every walk of life) who are just as frustrated and overwhelmed as I am, but who are also energetic and hopeful. I listened to speakers from marginalized groups talk about their experiences and their actions. And I was reminded that using one’s voice, no matter how small or quiet it is, can make a difference. So I begin this blog again today, focusing on the shutdown.

On Friday at midnight, the government “shut down”, and the Blame Game has been in full swing ever since. What makes me angry, however, is that the GOP blames the Democrats for the shutdown, claiming that they are holding the government hostage. I wish that I was making this part up, but this is actually on the White House comment line, once again reinforcing the juvenile behavior of those who are supposed to be leaders and role models. The Republicans have continued to say that Democrats do not care about children–because this bill included funding for CHIP, a program that provides health insurance for children whose parents cannot afford insurance but who also do not qualify for medicaid. What is infuriating about the shutdown is that at no point has the Republican Party accepted any responsibility for what’s happened.

Here’s what I know:

• The Republicans control the House of Representatives and the Senate
• The current president is Republican
• The Republicans needed 9 votes in addition to their majority of 51 in the Senate to pass the bill
• Five Democrats voted with the Republicans (so they would have needed only 4 more votes)
• Five Republicans (including Mitch McConnell) voted ‘no’ on the bill (to be fair, Senator McConnell voted ‘no’ for  “procedural reasons to preserve his right to bring up the bill again”)

Taking all of the information I have gathered into account, I place the blame firmly on Republican shoulders. They have a majority of the power, and they knew going into negotiations that they needed nine more votes for this bill to pass. Additionally, they knew that DACA is an important part of the deal for Democrats, yet they refused to put this on the bill, even after Senator Schumer met with President Trump on Friday afternoon.

Before I continue to talk about the shutdown, let me say that I support DACA and I support the Dreamers. While I understand that the President and Republicans desire a merit-based program for immigration, I also know that contradicts the stories we are so fond of telling about the American Dream. The story is familiar: a person is born in less-than-ideal circumstances, this person works hard to make a better life for her/himself and her/his children. It is the classic “pick yourself up by your bootstraps” story. American history is also full of immigrants coming to this country and making it better, while also being taken advantage of by people who have more power. What we have learned from history is that immigrants, no matter what their skills or level of education, can be and very often are productive members of our society. They do not always have all of the rights and protections of those born in the U.S., but they work hard to make a better life for themselves, their children, and future generations. The GOP, who claims to support and defend family values, is turning away from the very group who can help make America great. Perhaps these politicians should go back to school and study our history a little more closely, paying attention to the treatment and the success of our immigrant groups.

Republicans constantly defend their “pro-life” stance. I would argue, however, that enabling children who have already been born to live the lives they dream of – to allow those children opportunities for growth and happiness – is pro-life in a far more rational and humane way than restricting women’s reproductive rights. If they are, in fact, pro-life, then how can they defend excluding DACA on this bill. How does this show value for life? For lives being lived now?  The most infuriating part of the blame game for me is that Senator McConnell and other Republicans are slandering Democrats, claiming that Dems do not care about children. Their sole support for this claim is that because CHIP was on the bill, and most Democrats voted ‘no’ then they do not care about children. Senator Schumer spoke with President Trump on Friday afternoon. He attempted to reach a compromise, promising to allow money to be spent on The Wall (another ineffective, financially irresponsible, and mean idea to come out of the Republican party) with the promise that DACA would be part of this bill. The problem is not that CHIP was on the bill, but that DACA was excluded. The Democrats have shown that they are willing to compromise, but the Republicans backed away.

Protecting the Dreamers is incredibly important, but I do not want to suggest that CHIP is less important. This program is vital to the health of millions of children in the country. The CHIP Program expired under President Trump’s watch, and the Republicans have attempted to use that failure as leverage in this vote. They are now using it to support the spurious argument that Democrats do not care about children because they refused to vote ‘yes’ on a bad deal on Friday night. If Republicans care so much about children, why would they not work to reach a compromise with the Democrats about DACA? Both could have been on the bill, and both could have been saved.  And if 70% of Americans favor Dreamers, why are the Republicans fighting so hard against them? The Hill, on January 14, 2018, reported that, “Trump has said any DACA deal would require funding for his proposed border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.” Senator Schumer offered this on Friday, and thought they reached an agreement (and thus avoid a shutdown) only to find out that the deal fell through. Who is the party unwilling to compromise here?

To illustrate my point about leverage and lack of empathy, Senator McConnell, the Majority Leader in the Senate, posted this to Twitter on January 19. Essentially, McConnell says that some lives are more important than others. This is the choice the Republicans gave the Democrats:  whose lives are most important to you? The Democrats (with the exception of five) and a few Republicans refused to vote ‘yes’ to a bad deal because they know we need to value life. You cannot claim to be Pro-Life in any sense, then actively work against protecting the lives of people living in this country. CHIP is important and we need to act quickly so that these children can get the healthcare they require. After all, children should not be punished for the actions of the politicians who are supposed to protect them. But if we think about the Dreamers, the Democrats are essentially working to protect those who were brought to this country by their parents in the hope of having a better, more prosperous life. It may not be the exact same situation, but both CHIP and DACA allow those living in this country the opportunity for “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”. It is possible to protect CHIP and DACA–it “should be a no-brainer” to use Senator McConnell’s words. If we value life, our policies should reflect it.

The way I see it, the Republicans have a decision to make. Will they work with the Democrats, will they opt for the Nuclear Option, or will they dig their heels in and continue to turn a deaf ear to the opinions of many Americans? As always, I will call my representatives to voice my opinion–and since they are still getting paid, I expect them to answer the phone. I will also continue to watch what happens, and I will use this information when I vote in November. #PowerToThePolls