From Quin: Alas, many pundits act like they are on a “team” rather than being required as professionals to apply principles consistently to all sides, no matter whether the pundits’ own usual ideological allies merit praise or criticism based on that consistency. I refuse to do that. Hence, each new development in an ongoing saga might receive a different take on who is more right, or more wrong. Thus is was during the government shutdown. Below, please see four pieces, two taking President Trump more to task, one criticizing Speaker Pelosi more, and the other being equally appalled by both. Herewith, in chronological order (links within the headlines):
Jan. 17: Trump, Pelosi need to graduate from pre-school:
So, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatens to cancel the State of the Union address, and President Trump responds by denying her the usual military transport for a legitimate foreign trip, citing the same specious reason. Next thing you know, they’ll both be running to the teacher yelling that the other one started it. American government has now entered the Romper Room….
Jan. 18: Trump harmed the public by cancelling Pelosi’s trip: Although both sides in the latest Trump-Pelosi kerfuffle are acting like juveniles, the president’s action in canceling the speaker’s trip to Afghanistan is a worse offense. It actually does interfere with significant government business….
Jan. 21: Democrats deal in bad faith with Trump’s reasonable offer:
In response to President Trump’s good-faith offer of a compromise to fully reopen the government, Democrats should stop playing puerile politics and instead play ball. The president’s position was a major compromise even before Saturday’s speech to the nation, while the Democrats’ position before the speech contradicted many of their own earlier positions….
Jan. 27: Trump is on dangerous turf if he declares the wall an ’emergency.’
President Trump remains out of line in threatening to use “emergency” powers to build a border wall absent legislation providing funds to do so. In the course of fairly abject surrender to the Democrats with regard to the terms of “re-opening” the full government, President Trump used this “emergency powers” threat as a false veneer of continued toughness. His threat, if carried out, would violate our nation’s first principles….
