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We may be at the point where a clusterfuck is required to precipitate real change.The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-01-12 09:53pmTV news is reporting that the Federal Courts may soon run out of money altogether, airport security is being compromised, and the Federal Reserve may soon not be able to forecast the economy.
Jesus, what a cluster fuck.
In an interview with Woodward not long before Ford's death, Ford was oddly candid.Broomstick wrote: ↑2019-01-13 09:13amFord may or may not have pardoned Nixon for personal/friendship reasons.
America lets a prominent and popular white criminal get away with stuff in the name of not feeling bad about electing criminals. Colour me shocked. Though I'd be fascinated to see the popularity of that decision broken down by demographic.The rest of the country, however, let it happen without significant protest in the interest of putting the mess behind the nation and getting on with things, rather than dragging the matter out and causing/maintaining a crisis. It seemed like a reasonable thing to do for many people, even as they questioned whether or not Nixon should have been pardoned vs. going to jail. The feeling at the time was that the nation might have dodged a bullet on that. Nixon was out of office, criminals were in jail, let's move on was the general sentiment.
It should be noted that the decision was by no means universally approved at the time:Gandalf wrote: ↑2019-01-13 03:11pmIn an interview with Woodward not long before Ford's death, Ford was oddly candid.Broomstick wrote: ↑2019-01-13 09:13amFord may or may not have pardoned Nixon for personal/friendship reasons.
"I looked upon him as my personal friend. And I always treasured our relationship. And I had no hesitancy about granting the pardon, because I felt that we had this relationship and that I didn't want to see my real friend have the stigma."
America lets a prominent and popular white criminal get away with stuff in the name of not feeling bad about electing criminals. Colour me shocked. Though I'd be fascinated to see the popularity of that decision broken down by demographic.The rest of the country, however, let it happen without significant protest in the interest of putting the mess behind the nation and getting on with things, rather than dragging the matter out and causing/maintaining a crisis. It seemed like a reasonable thing to do for many people, even as they questioned whether or not Nixon should have been pardoned vs. going to jail. The feeling at the time was that the nation might have dodged a bullet on that. Nixon was out of office, criminals were in jail, let's move on was the general sentiment.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pardon_of ... #AftermathWikipedia wrote:The Nixon pardon was controversial. Critics derided the move, and claimed a "corrupt bargain" had been struck between the men: that Ford's pardon was granted in exchange for Nixon's resignation, elevating Ford to the presidency. Ford's first press secretary and close friend Jerald terHorst resigned his post in protest after the pardon.
The Nixon pardon was a pivotal moment in the Ford presidency. Historians believe the controversy was one of the major reasons Ford lost the election in 1976, an observation with which Ford agreed.[6] In an editorial at the time, The New York Times stated that the Nixon pardon was a "profoundly unwise, divisive, and unjust act" that in a stroke had destroyed the new president's "credibility as a man of judgment, candor, and competence". Allegations of a secret deal made with Ford, promising a pardon in return for Nixon's resignation, led Ford to testify before the House Judiciary Committee on October 17, 1974.[12][13] He was the first sitting president to testify before the House of Representatives since Abraham Lincoln.[14][15] Ford's approval rating dropped from 71% to 50% following the pardon.
Indeed. I'd be interested to know if the attitude that Broomstick mentioned as coming from "the rest of the country" actually reflected the country as a whole, or just the demographic ruling classes.The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-01-13 03:21pm It should be noted that the decision was by no means universally approved at the time:
Air traffic controllers from Atlantic Canada directed a fleet of special arrivals into the New York Air Traffic Control Centre on Friday night, as a gesture of solidarity and respect.
And each was covered in a layer of gooey melted cheese.
The Canadian Air Traffic Controller Association units in Gander, N.L., and Moncton, N.B., ordered pizzas for all of their colleagues at the control centre on Long Island, who have been working without pay since the partial U.S. government shutdown began on Dec. 22.
U.S. President Donald Trump wants $5.7 billion to build a border wall with Mexico, and says he won't put through a bill to cover the cost of operating parts of the government until he gets it. The Democrats have put forward a funding bill, but don't support the wall.
U.S. government partially shuts down in battle over Trump's border wall
PHOTOSUncertainty, missed pay: These are the faces of the U.S. government shutdown
"It's been so overwhelmingly negative and it's nice to see that there's solidarity out there. There's people out there who are just saying, 'Hey, I work with you as a friend or a colleague and here's a nice gesture of friendship, that we care,'" said David Lombardo, a former air traffic controller who lives in Long Island and runs a social media site for people in the industry.
He posted a notice to Reddit about the impending pizza arrival seen in the hallways of the New York control centre.
"Aviation is a really tight-knit group of people, it's like a family. And plus, it goes against the whole rhetoric here that we're talking about because it's an international boundary!"
Sometimes solidarity comes with a soft crust and a layer of melted cheese. (Dave Lombardo/Reddit)
Air traffic controllers provide essential services and are unable to suspend work or take any other job action during the government shutdown, he said. As a result, with no other government services running, they're working without paycheques.
"They're worried about their mortgages, their medical bills. It's one thing to have a date set and say, 'Hey you're going to get your back pay in a week or two,' but they have absolutely no idea when they're going to get paid, And you can imagine that's pretty disheartening and pretty scary for many people."
According to Doug Church, deputy director of public affairs with the National Air Traffic Controllers Association (NATCA) in the U.S., there are currently 14,000 controllers working without pay.
And they're thrilled about the pizzas.
"It's just a really good shot in the arm of positive energy and positive emotion to know that, 'Hey they've got our back,'" he said.
"On behalf of the entire NATCA and air traffic control around this country, we extend our thanks and our gratitude."
Doug Church of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said he appreciated the 'positive energy' that came with the pizza gift. (CBC)
A concerted, Canada-wide pizza delivery
The pizza-delivering task force from the Gander and Moncton crews is part of a national effort on behalf of Canadian air traffic controllers to show support for their American counterparts, said Peter Duffey, president of the Canadian Air Traffic Control Association (CATCA).
Duffey said local unions have been asking the national union what they could do to help since the U.S. government shutdown began. On Thursday evening, controllers in Edmonton had the idea to send pizzas across the border to controllers in Alaska.
It snowballed from there. As of Sunday morning, Canadian units have sent pizzas to 35 different units in the U.S.
"This is as grassroots as it gets, with our members just jumping on board this like crazy," he said. "I couldn't be more proud of what my members are doing."
'We're all taking care of the skies over North America'
Duffey echoed Lombardo's sentiment that air traffic controllers keep each other close, even though they don't work side-by-side and often only hear each other's voices in headsets.
"We always stand together, especially with our American counterparts," he said. "Our members just want to reach out to those people that they consider to be co-workers. We're all taking care of the skies over North America."
Canadian air traffic controllers have been sending pizzas to control towers and centres in the U.S. to show solidarity with their American colleagues, who are working for free. (Adrian Wyld/Canadian Press)
The nature of the job also builds a strong bond, he said.
"We always say that we have to be 100 per cent correct, 100 per cent of the time, with zero room for error. That's the nature of our job. To have somebody have to report to work with the added pressure of knowing they're now into their second period of work with no paycheque, they don't need that kind of added stress and pressure. We just want to send them a message that says, 'Hey we're with you, we stand with you, and we're sorry that this is happening to you.'"
Church agreed that the current working conditions only made a tough job tougher.
"We hold our aviation system and the safety of it in a very high regard and treat it with the utmost professionalism. It's very painful to see that system suffer because of political dispute and it really needs to end now."
It was tasty pizza
Lombardo said the shipment from the Gander and Moncton units were the first evidence he saw of the pan-Canadian pizza effort, but that he knew there were a lot of pies being ordered from north of the border.
Gander, he said, may be a small town in a small province, but they play a big role in the skies.
"They have a massive chunk of airspace that they handle," he said. "They're well-known for being very, very important in the aviation world, and it's so nice to see them care about everyone else around them."
They may now be known for having good taste in pizza, too. Reddit users responded to Lombardo's post asking about the pizza place the Gander and Moncton crews chose — Gino's of Ronkonkoma — he assured them the folks at the New York control centre had a good feed.
"It's really good pizza," he wrote. "And this is Long Island. Believe me, we are pizza perfectionists."
I did not mean to imply that sentiment was universal, only that the protests did not rise to the point of forcing a crisis. At that point there weren't enough people wanting to fight those battles.Gandalf wrote: ↑2019-01-13 03:40pmIndeed. I'd be interested to know if the attitude that Broomstick mentioned as coming from "the rest of the country" actually reflected the country as a whole, or just the demographic ruling classes.The Romulan Republic wrote: ↑2019-01-13 03:21pm It should be noted that the decision was by no means universally approved at the time:
Indeed. I know that Ford's bailing out his friend was controversial, but I'm really curious to know if the reaction broke along lines, be they racial, economic, etc.Broomstick wrote: ↑2019-01-13 06:53pmI did not mean to imply that sentiment was universal, only that the protests did not rise to the point of forcing a crisis. At that point there weren't enough people wanting to fight those battles.
My family actually was in the camp that wanted Nixon on trial then in jail, but obviously we didn't get our way. It had a lot to do with why my parents voted for Carter in 1976 even though they have voted for Ford for Congress before he became first Vice President then President - they lost their trust in Ford. It cost Ford the subsequent election and pretty much any political career after that.
Absolutely there were people VERY unhappy with Ford pardoning Nixon, but on the other hand, either putting a President on trial or challenging a Presidential pardon were unprecedented things. After the turmoil of the 1950's and 60's and the Viet Nam war I think the nation really didn't want more upset and controversy. Certainly, not enough to change what Ford did.
Note that this is anonymous, so take it with a grain of salt. But that's the perspective of those running things.‘Senior Trump Official’ On Shutdown: ‘We Do Not Want Most Employees To Return’
AFP/Getty Images
By Matt Shuham
January 14, 2019 2:34 pm
An unnamed “senior official in the Trump administration” wrote in an anonymous Daily Caller op-ed Monday that the record-breaking 24-day partial government shutdown “is an opportunity to strip wasteful government agencies for good.”
While it’s unclear how “senior” this administration official is — many senior Trump officials are still being paid, while the author claims to be “one of the senior officials working without a paycheck” — the op-ed could offer a window into another goal of this shutdown, in addition to using federal workers’ paychecks as leverage in an attempt to extract border wall funds from Congress: starving the government.
The op-ed’s author wrote that “many federal agencies are now operating more effectively from the top down on a fraction of their workforce” and that “we do not want most employees to return, because we are working better without them.”
Roughly 800,000 federal employees are currently going without pay, and millions of Americans who rely on the agencies those employees usually run — everything from the Food and Drug Administration to the Department of the Interior to the Department of Homeland Security — are going without services, except for those provided by workers deemed essential to national security or public safety.
“Now that we are shut down, not only are we identifying and eliminating much of the sabotage and waste, but we are finally working on the president’s agenda,” the official wrote, adding in conclusion: “Wasteful government agencies are fighting for relevance but they will lose. Now is the time to deliver historic change by cutting them down forever.”
The Daily Caller said the author’s “career would be jeopardized” if their name were to be made public. “We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers,” the publication added.
If true, then they are deliberately crippling their own country- maybe not treasonous by law, but certainly in spirit. However, its not terribly surprising, when you think about it.FaxModem1 wrote: ↑2019-01-14 06:08pm Talking Points Memo
Note that this is anonymous, so take it with a grain of salt. But that's the perspective of those running things.‘Senior Trump Official’ On Shutdown: ‘We Do Not Want Most Employees To Return’
AFP/Getty Images
By Matt Shuham
January 14, 2019 2:34 pm
An unnamed “senior official in the Trump administration” wrote in an anonymous Daily Caller op-ed Monday that the record-breaking 24-day partial government shutdown “is an opportunity to strip wasteful government agencies for good.”
While it’s unclear how “senior” this administration official is — many senior Trump officials are still being paid, while the author claims to be “one of the senior officials working without a paycheck” — the op-ed could offer a window into another goal of this shutdown, in addition to using federal workers’ paychecks as leverage in an attempt to extract border wall funds from Congress: starving the government.
The op-ed’s author wrote that “many federal agencies are now operating more effectively from the top down on a fraction of their workforce” and that “we do not want most employees to return, because we are working better without them.”
Roughly 800,000 federal employees are currently going without pay, and millions of Americans who rely on the agencies those employees usually run — everything from the Food and Drug Administration to the Department of the Interior to the Department of Homeland Security — are going without services, except for those provided by workers deemed essential to national security or public safety.
“Now that we are shut down, not only are we identifying and eliminating much of the sabotage and waste, but we are finally working on the president’s agenda,” the official wrote, adding in conclusion: “Wasteful government agencies are fighting for relevance but they will lose. Now is the time to deliver historic change by cutting them down forever.”
The Daily Caller said the author’s “career would be jeopardized” if their name were to be made public. “We believe publishing this essay anonymously is the only way to deliver an important perspective to our readers,” the publication added.
President Donald Trump has denied he ever worked for Russia against US interests.
There have been multiple reports in US media in recent days about Mr Trump's relationship with Moscow, an issue that has dogged his presidency from the outset.
The New York Times reported that in 2017 law enforcement officials began investigating whether Mr Trump had been working on behalf of Russia against US interests.
But speaking from the White House South Lawn on Monday, he said: "I never worked for Russia."
The president blasted former FBI and Justice Department officials and repeated his claim that the investigation into his ties to Moscow is a hoax.
After two years in office, the president is still being questioned about whether he was compromised by Russian intelligence agencies.
Special counsel Robert Mueller is looking into Russian election interference and whether Mr Trump's campaign coordinated with the Russians. He is also investigating possible obstruction of justice by Mr Trump.
Monday's denial demonstrated the pressure Mr Trump faces as Mr Mueller's investigation shows possible signs of wrapping up.
The president raised eyebrows over the weekend when he didn't directly answer a question about possible ties to Moscow in an interview with Fox News host Jeanine Pirro.
When Pirro asked if he had ever worked for Russia, Mr Trump said it was "the most insulting thing I've ever been asked".
"I think it's the most insulting article I've ever had written, and if you read the article you'll see that they found absolutely nothing," he said.
Mr Trump went on to assert that no president has taken a harder stance against Russia than he has.
So, remember that comedic scene in The West Wing wherein CJ responds that they'll host an international dinner by serving IHOP? Trump decided to do the same with McDonald's and Pizza at the White House.‘We have everything that I like’: Trump serves fast-food feast for Clemson’s White House visit
'All American stuff': Watch Trump welcome the Clemson Tigers with a fast-food buffet
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President Trump served a fast-food meal to 2018 College Football Playoff national champions the Clemson Tigers at the White House on Jan. 14. (The Washington Post)
By Cindy Boren and
Des Bieler January 14 at 6:15 PM
The Clemson Tigers, fresh off their Jan. 7 victory over Alabama in the College Football Playoff national championship game, arrived Monday for a White House visit with President Trump. The team was served a variety of fast-food items, for which the White House said Trump paid out of his own pocket.
“I think we are going to serve McDonald’s, Wendy’s and Burger King’s with some pizza. I really mean it,” Trump had said earlier in the day. “It will be interesting. I would think that’s their favorite food. So we’ll see what happens.”
According to White House press secretary Sarah Sanders (via The Washington Post’s Josh Dawsey), Trump was “personally paying for the event to be catered with some of everyone’s favorite fast foods” because the partial government shutdown meant that some of the White House staff who might have handled the catering for this type of event are on furlough.
“The president wanted to host a fun event to celebrate the College Football National Champion Clemson Tigers,” deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said in a statement to CNN, adding that Trump’s gesture came about because “the Democrats refuse to negotiate on border security.”
Describing the fare as “great American food,” per a pool report, Trump said: “If it’s American, I like it. It’s all American stuff.”
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POTUS with “great American food” for Clemson Tigers visiting WH.
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The pool report noted that the Clemson players arrived shortly before 6 p.m. as the White House band played a rendition of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.” Some players “whooped,” per the report, when they saw the spread.
At the outset of his remarks to the team, its coaches, Clemson officials and politicians, including South Carolina Sens. Lindsey O. Graham (R) and Tim Scott (R), Trump said he had a “choice” of possibly having “no food” for the players “because of the shutdown.”
“Or do we give you some little quick salads that first lady will make, along with the second lady; they’ll make some salads,” the president continued. “And I said, ‘You guys aren’t into salads.' … Or do I send out for about 1,000 hamburgers?”
The comments drew a laugh from the attendees as Trump listed the establishments — “all American companies” — whence the food came, including Burger King, Wendy’s and McDonald’s. “We have Big Macs, we have Quarter Pounders with cheese,” he said.
“We have everything that I like, that you like,” Trump continued, “and I know no matter what we did, there’s nothing you could have that’s better than that, right?”
Noting that the food was “piled up a mile high,” Trump then said he “just wanted to see what was left.” He chuckled as he was told, “Not much.”
The president moved on to praising the Tigers for their accomplishments, including becoming the first top-level college team to go 15-0 since 1897. Noting that Clemson had been to the White House for a similarly celebratory visit two years ago, Trump praised Coach Dabo Swinney and university President James P. Clements as “very special people.”
'Thank you for inspiring America': Trump welcomes the Clemson Tigers to White House
President Trump welcomed the 2018 College Football Playoff national champions the Clemson Tigers to the White House on Jan. 14. (The Washington Post)
“You know, there are other teams with a lot of talent, and they’re watching us tonight on television,” he said to laughs. “They’re watching us and they’re saying, 'We’ll get ‘em next year.’ ”
Trump asked Swinney how many of his players were returning for the 2019 season, to which the coach replied with a smile, “Enough.” The president predicted, “We’ll have you back,” and mentioned that he had said, with accuracy, that on Swinney’s previous visit.
Pointing out some of the administration officials in attendance, Trump noted that acting attorney general and former Iowa tight end Matthew G. Whitaker “was a great player” who appeared in the Rose Bowl, and he said that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin “would never be able to make your team."
Trump mentioned Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, wide receiver Hunter Renfrow and cornerback A.J. Terrell, as well as defensive coordinator Brent Venables, who helped shut down Alabama’s powerful attack. He asserted that “the most important thing” about Swinney was that the coach “helped countless young Americans set high standards for themselves, reach for excellence and achieve their full, God-given potential.”
Trump had announced the visit Friday in a tweet, writing, “what a game, what a coach, what a team!” Photos posted to social media showed Swinney, Lawrence and other Tigers visiting the Mall on Monday afternoon.
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Dabo and Trevor Lawrence at Lincoln Memorial.
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Nearing the end of his comments at the White House, Trump said, “To all of the amazing athletes here today, that wiped more food than any human being has ever seen before, including me — I’ve never seen so much — thank you for inspiring America.”
https://globalnews.ca/news/4843949/gove ... ey-graham/The U.S. economy is taking a larger-than-expected hit from the partial government shutdown, White House estimates showed on Tuesday, as contractors and even the Coast Guard go without pay and talks to end the impasse seemed stalled.
The longest such shutdown in U.S. history dragged into its 25th day with neither Trump nor Democratic congressional leaders showing signs of bending on the topic that triggered it – funding for a wall Trump promised to build along the border with Mexico.
Coverage of the U.S. government shutdown on Globalnews.ca:
Trump serves up fast food to Clemson Tigers as government shutdown continues
Trump serves up fast food to Clemson Tigers as government shutdown continues
Trump serves up fast food to Clemson Tigers as government shutdown continues
U.S. aviation workers warn of security concerns as government shutdown continues
U.S. aviation workers warn of security concerns as government shutdown continues
U.S. air traffic controllers aren’t getting paid – but Canadian colleagues sent pizza
U.S. air traffic controllers aren’t getting paid – but Canadian colleagues sent pizza
Stories from U.S. workers impacted by the partial government shutdown
Stories from U.S. workers impacted by the partial government shutdown
Trump refuses to back down on border wall funding in exchange for reopening the government
Trump refuses to back down on border wall funding in exchange for reopening the government
Trump insists Congress shell out $5.7 billion for wall funding this year, as about 800,000 federal workers go unpaid during the partial shutdown. He has refused to support legislation providing money for a range of agencies to operate until he gets the wall funds.
With the shutdown dragging on, federal courts will run out of operating funds on Jan. 25 and face “serious disruptions” if the shutdown continues, according to a court statement.
The Internal Revenue Service said it planned to bring more than 46,000 furloughed workers back to their jobs as the agency enters its peak season of processing tax returns and refunds.
READ MORE: Washington on edge as historic shutdown continues — debate on border wall rages on
Trump invited a bipartisan group of lawmakers for lunch to discuss the standoff, but the White House said Democrats turned down the invitation. Nine House of Representatives Republicans, none of whom are involved in party leadership, attended.
One attendee, John Katko, told CNN that Trump “wanted to continue to engage in negotiations.” He did not mention any new proposals Trump might pursue.
House Democratic leaders said they did not tell members to boycott Trump’s lunch but had pressed those invited to consider whether the talks would be merely a photo-op for Trump.
WATCH: Jan. 11 — U.S. government workers miss first paycheque amid shutdown
Separately, a bipartisan group of senators explored solutions. Senator Lisa Murkowski, a Republican participant, told reporters in a Capitol hallway that the group had “momentum,” but gave no details.
Senator Joe Manchin, a Democratic participant, said: “Anything can be part of the negotiations.”
Lawmakers were supposed to be in their districts and states next week after Monday’s Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, but the House and Senate planned to cancel the recess if theshutdown persists.
While the shutdown hit about one-quarter of federal operations, a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Tuesday found that nearly four in 10 U.S. adults said they were either affected by the impasse or know someone who is. Fifty-one percent of those polled blamed Trump for the shutdown.
Seeking Coast Guard funding
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said she was working with the White House and Congress to pass legislation to fund the Coast Guard. While the Pentagon is not affected by the shutdown, the Coast Guard budget is part of Nielsen’s department.
“Like the other branches of the U.S. military, active duty @USCG should be paid for their service and sacrifice to this nation,” Nielsen wrote on Twitter.
The Trump administration had initially estimated the shutdown would cost the economy 0.1 percentage point in growth every two weeks that employees were without pay.
READ MORE: Sen. Graham urges Trump to reopen government for few weeks before he ‘pulls the plug’
But on Tuesday, there was an updated figure: 0.13 percentage point every week because of the impact of work left undone by 380,000 furloughed employees as well as work left aside by federal contractors, a White House official said.
The economic risk prompted hawkish Federal Reserve officials to call for the central bank to pause interest rate hikes.
The shutdown‘s effects have begun to reverberate across the country.
Longer lines have formed at some airports as more security screeners fail to show up for work.
WATCH: Jan. 10 — U.S. air travel concerns arise amid government shutdown
Yeah, we'll give the legislative solution a few weeks before trying military dictatorship. How reasonable of you.A Republican lawmaker advising U.S. President Donald Trump said he is encouraging the president to reopen the government for several weeks to continue negotiating with Democrats over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall before the president takes the more drastic step of declaring a national emergency.
READ MORE: Donald Trump’s ‘ego grudge’ over border wall fight ‘really bad for the country’: Scaramucci
But that may be wishful thinking, given that Sen. Lindsey Graham also says Trump still wants to reach a deal for the wall before agreeing to reopen shuttered government departments. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a leading Democratic negotiator, insists that Trump reopen the government first.
The weeks-old standoff over funding led to the partial government shutdown that hit day 23 on Sunday without an end in sight.
“Before he pulls the plug on the legislative option, and I think we’re almost there, I would urge him to open up the government for a short period of time, like three weeks, before he pulls the plug, see if we can get a deal,” said Graham, a South Carolina Republican. “If we can’t at the end of three weeks, all bets are off.”
WATCH: Schumer says ‘We welcome talking,’ Trump won’t negotiate as shutdown continues
“See if he can do it by himself through the emergency powers. That’s my recommendation,” added Graham, who has publicly pushed Trump to use his authority to declare a national emergency to build the wall. Such a step would allow Trump to bypass Congress and tap various pots of unspent federal money, including for military construction and disaster relief and from asset seized by law enforcement, to pay for the wall.
Trump has kept Washington on edge over whether he would resort to such a declaration, citing what he says is a “crisis” of drug smuggling and the trafficking of women and children at the border. The president initially sounded as though such a move was imminent, but then pulled back. He has said several times since he first mentioned the idea in public earlier this month that he prefers to try to reach a deal with Congress.
A key question is how much more time is Trump willing to give lawmakers. Graham, who said he and Trump talked by telephone on Sunday morning, said the legislative path “is just about shut off” and blamed Pelosi.
READ MORE: Pence’s pickle: How to lead shutdown negotiations for Donald Trump
The speaker’s office had no immediate comment.
Democrats oppose an emergency declaration but may be powerless to block it. Some Republicans are wary, too, fearing how a future Democratic president might use that authority. Such a move, should Trump ultimately go that route, would almost certainly be challenged in the courts.
Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., called Graham’s idea to reopen the government a “great place to start.”
WATCH: Trump determined to get border wall for his base: Scaramucci
“I do think if we reopen the government, if the president ends this shutdown crisis, we have folks who can negotiate a responsible, modern investment in technology that will actually make us safer,” Coons said.
Trump has maintained that the border cannot be secured without a wall.
Graham said he thinks Trump is willing to accept the $5.7 billion he has insisted on for the wall, along with some immigration measures Democrats might find acceptable, such as helping immigrants who were illegally brought to the U.S. as children.
Trump has expressed interest in a broader immigration overhaul, but says he first wants the Supreme Court to address the class of immigrants known as “Dreamers.” Pelosi also has shown no interest in accepting a wall — she has called it an “immorality” — in exchange for immigration fixes.
READ MORE: U.S. federal workers face 1st payday without pay amid government shutdown
And, Trump, who was holed up in the White House as snow blanketed Washington on Sunday, appeared to shoot down Graham’s suggestion of a “wall plus” deal, saying on Twitter that even Democrats don’t want to make “Dreamers” part of the negotiations.
“The damage done to our Country from a badly broken Border – Drugs, Crime and so much that is bad – is far greater than a Shutdown, which the Dems can easily fix as soon as they come back to Washington!” Trump said in a separate tweet.
WATCH: U.S. air traffic controllers aren’t getting paid – but Canadian colleagues sent pizza
The White House has been laying the groundwork for an emergency declaration, feared by members of both parties.
Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he would “hate to see” a declaration because then the wall wouldn’t get built, presumably because of legal challenges. Democrats voted in the past for border security and should again, he said.
“I actually want to see this wall get built,” Johnson said. “I want to keep pressure on Democrats to actually come to the negotiating table in good faith and fund what they have supported in the past.”
But Graham, who favours a presidential declaration, said the time for talk is running out.
“It’s the last option, not the first option, but we’re pretty close to that being the only option,” he said.
WATCH: Stories from U.S. workers impacted by the partial government shutdown
Graham and Coons spoke on “Fox News Sunday.” Johnson appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
Of course, Trump just reportedly retweeted an article, ostensibly from an unnamed senior administration official, saying that the shutdown was a good thing and that Trump should expand his demands. So perhaps the Democrats have finally realized that there is no point in negotiating with someone who has no intention of reaching a deal, and who's goal is the destruction of the US government and the replacement of the system of checks and balances with autocracy.(CNN)The White House sent invitations to a bipartisan group of lawmakers for a meeting Tuesday afternoon aimed at finding a solution to ending the government shutdown -- now in its 25th day as the longest in US history -- but no Democrats are expected to attend.
White House press secretary Sarah Sanders confirmed no Democrats would attend the meeting, listing instead nine Republican members of the House who will.
"Today, the President offered both Democrats and Republicans the chance to meet for lunch at the White House," Sanders said in a statement. "Unfortunately, no Democrats will attend. The President looks forward to having a working lunch with House Republicans to solve the border crisis and reopen the government. It's time for the Democrats to come to the table and make a deal."
The lunch meeting ended shortly after 1:30 p.m. ET, and Republicans who attended publicly lamented that their colleagues from across the aisle did not come.
"This was supposed to be a bipartisan lunch," Illinois Rep. Rodney Davis said, asking, "If you don't show up to the table, how in the world are we ever going to come to a solution?"
White House looks to pick off Democrats to shake up shutdown stalemate, even as party remains united
White House looks to pick off Democrats to shake up shutdown stalemate, even as party remains united
As negotiations have come to a complete halt, President Donald Trump and his allies are interested in putting pressure on congressional Democrats to budge on their refusal to give Trump additional money for his campaign promise of a border wall. But the White House's attempt to put daylight between rank-and-file moderate members of the Democratic caucus and its leadership did not appear, at least by Tuesday's meeting, to have paid off.
Several House Democrats who had been invited to the White House told CNN in advance of the meeting they had been given little to no information about what the meeting would entail and have either rejected the invite or wouldn't confirm whether they would attend. The invitations did not all go out at once, but over the course of Monday night, and consisted of a three-line email asking only if the member would "attend lunch at the White House tomorrow, January 15 at 12:30 PM," according to a copy read to CNN. The email was sent on behalf of the President.
"It's kind of a mess," one Democratic member who had received an invitation told CNN when asked their impression of how the meeting had been put together.
Democratic Reps. Stephanie Murphy of Florida and Lou Correa of California, two co-chairs of the moderate Blue Dog Coalition, both declined the invitations, according to sources.
Murphy later released a statement citing a scheduling conflict for why she couldn't make it.
"I have attended meetings with the President at the White House before, but a scheduling conflict prevented me from accepting this invitation," Murphy said. "However, I continue to believe the Senate should pass and the President should sign the bills reopening government that the House already passed. As a former national security specialist at the Pentagon, I look forward to having a meaningful, bipartisan discussion about the best way to secure our country."
Instead House Democrats say they plan to vote on several plans to reopen the government -- including one vote Tuesday to keep the government open until February. The votes on at least three different options at this point do not appear to have much of a future until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell decides to hold a vote on them, but they're part of the Democrats strategy to keep pressure on Republicans.
House Democratic leaders said they haven't worked to stop their members from going to the White House but were making the point that they should have been made aware of what the actual intent of the meeting was from Trump's perspective.
"Is he inviting people to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue to really try to resolve this problem or to create a photo op to project a false sense of bipartisanship?" Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the Democratic caucus chairman, told reporters earlier Tuesday.
This is the longest shutdown in US history
This is the longest shutdown in US history
As to whether there are splits in the Democratic caucus the President can take advantage of, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said the party is "totally united. Totally."
"Is anybody surprised that the President is trying to get votes wherever he can get votes?" Hoyer asked.
White House strategic communications director Mercedes Schlapp told reporters on the North Lawn Tuesday that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was part of the issue and cited the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus as one group of lawmakers worth targeting.
"We want to work with rank-and-file Democrats," Schlapp said. "Obviously, what we're seeing right now is that Speaker Pelosi has refused to provide a counteroffer. ... So, we're going to talk to those individuals, to those Democrats, see if we can make some inroads. The President also will be bringing over the Problem Solvers Caucus so that's another opportunity to talk to congressional members. We want to be able to come to a solution and negotiate."
This story has been updated with additional developments Tuesday.
CNN's Betsy Klein and Maegan Vazquez contributed to this report.
So, this might be the first time that anyone in the Armed Forces hasn't been paid their salary, and are only now surviving due to charity.42,000 Coast Guard members miss first paycheck due to government shutdown
"The Congress can’t get their act together. The president can’t get their act together, but your community will take care of you," one Coast Guard spouse said.
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Jan. 15, 2019, 1:30 PM ET
By Doha Madani
The nation's 42,000 active-duty Coast Guard members missed their scheduled paycheck Tuesday, as the only military branch to work without pay during the government shutdown.
Because the Coast Guard is under the Department of Homeland Security, it is getting no funding during the shutdown. All other parts of the military are under the still-funded Department of Defense.
Coast Guard members, reservists and retirees received checks on Dec. 31 as part of a short-term solution that gave them the remainder of their pay and allowances for December.
But that quick fix did not extend to the Jan. 15 pay period.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Karl Schultz released a statement to active-duty members addressing the loss of pay.
"To the best of my knowledge, this marks the first time in our Nation’s history that service members in a U.S. Armed Force have not been paid during a lapse in government appropriations," his statement said.
He also announced a $15 million donation by USAA Bank, which serves military members and family, to the service's nonprofit relief organization, Coast Guard Mutual Assistance. The American Red Cross will aid in distributing the money to military and civilians employees of the service who need assistance.
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Coast Guard members will get one-time paycheck on New Year's Eve amid government shutdown
Active-duty Coast Guard members continue to work without pay on essential operations "that provide for national security or that protect life and property during partial government shutdowns," such as search-and-rescue, securing the nation's ports and coastlines, other law enforcement duties and environmental response.
A bipartisan bill was introduced in Congress on Jan. 4, the Pay Our Coast Guard Act, which would allow members of the Coast Guard, civilian employees, and contractors to be paid throughout the remainder of the shutdown.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Me., one of the bill's sponsors, said in a statement that "hundreds of thousands of federal employees and their families are being harmed by the partial government shutdown."
"This situation is especially unfair for those who must work without pay, including members of the Coast Guard who continue to perform critical national security and lifesaving duties without knowing when they will receive their next paycheck," she said.
The Department of Homeland Security is working on another solution, "a narrow legislative fix," to pay active-duty Coast Guard so there is parity between them and other military branches, a Homeland Security official told NBC News Monday night.
In the interim, families of active-duty members as well as of civilian Coast Guard workers who have been furloughed have looked toward other forms of support. The shutdown is now the longest in U.S. history with no end in sight.
The East Bay Coast Guard Spouses Club held a food drive Sunday in Alameda, California, for Coast Guard members, dependents, and civilian workers who have been furloughed. Club member Nicole Lauer told NBC News about 186 families came.
Lauer said the event was uplifting and families were grateful to not have to spend what little money they may have on grocery items.
Donations were made from businesses across Alameda, which has a base and is considered a Coast Guard city. In addition to essentials such as food, baby formula and diapers, items such as laundry detergent and razors were also popular at the drive, as members must maintain regulation standards for their uniforms and appearance, Lauer said.
"We actually have another food bank happening on Wednesday," Lauer told NBC News. "Our mission as a club is that we will do this however long we need to do this, and we’ve received the support from Alameda that they will have our back as long as we have to."
Emily Garris, the wife of an active-duty member stationed in Alameda, told NBC News she worries about about her own family's financial situation and all the other families in the Coast Guard as well. Her family is fine for the time being, but has been careful about spending since the shutdown began.
"My daughter’s 16th birthday is next week and we just had Christmas," Garris told NBC News. "We want to make it special for her, but we also don’t want to spend a lot of money either."
"The Congress can’t get their act together. The president can’t get their act together, but your community will take care of you."
Garris said that while many Coast Guard families are feeling discouraged by the ongoing shutdown, the local community's response has in contrast inspired appreciation and gratitude.
"I've had several moms of my kid’s friends call and say, 'We’re here for you. What can we do, anything that you guys need we’ll do it,'" Garris told NBC News. "The Congress can’t get their act together. The president can’t get their act together, but your community will take care of you."
She never thought the situation would go on for this long, Garris said, but she also feels there's a limit to what people can handle. Some people may eventually begin to wonder if they should try to leave and find new jobs, Garris said.
"It’s really up to the leaders, Congress and the president, to really hammer this out and get something done," Garris told NBC News. "I feel like we’ve done all we can and it’s totally in their hands now."
Congress passed a bill Friday to retroactively pay federal workers and Coast Guard members, but it would not go into affect until after the shutdown ends.
