Forget Eminem and Machine Gun Kelly - the hottest beef in America is Donald Trump versus Nancy Pelosi. (Unfortunately, there are no diss tracks...yet.)
As you could probably tell from the salty looks of unpaid TSA agents at the airport, we are currently in day 27 of a partial government shutdown. The president has refused to sign any spending bills from Congress unless they contain $5.7 funding for his much-ballyhooed border wall. Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic Speaker of the House, refuses to give him his precious, believing the wall to be an ineffective, colossal waste of money.
With the Democrats staunchly anti-wall, and the Republicans staunchly whatever-Trump-says, our political leaders are at an impasse. 800,000 federal workers are out of work, or forced to work unpaid with the promise of getting reimbursed later. As struggling Americans go without paychecks, parks overflow with trash, and the economy takes some damage, political tensions are at all-time high.
This week Pelosi made a canny political move, asking President Trump to postpone his State of the Union address or submit it in writing. By tradition, the president delivers the speech to a joint session of Congress, the House of Representatives and Senate pass resolutions inviting him. As Speaker of the House, Pelosi has the power to disinvite the commander-in-chief, and did so via sassy letter.
"Both the U.S. Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security have not been funded for 26 days now — with critical departments hamstrung by furloughs," wrote Pelosi. "Sadly, given the security concerns and unless government re-opens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after government has re-opened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to the Congress on January 29th."
Following this news, liberals yelled, "Ohhhhh snap!" and dropped imaginary mics in euphoria. However, now President Trump has responded with his own canny political move: cancelling Pelosi's government-funded trip overseas.
"Due to the Shutdown, I am sorry to inform you that your trip to Brussels, Egypt, and Afghanistan has been postponed," wrote Trump. "We will reschedule this seven-day excursion when the Shutdown is over. In light of the 800,000 great American workers not receiving pay, I am sure you would agree that postponing this public relations event is totally appropriate. I also feel that, during this period, it would be better if you were in Washington negotiating with me and joining the Strong Border Security movement to end the Shutdown.
He continued, "Obviously, if you would like to make your journey by flying commercial, that would certainly be your prerogative. I look forward to seeing you soon and even more forward to watching our open and dangerous Southern Border finally receive the attention, funding, and security it so desperately deserves!"
In response, Pelosi’s deputy chief of staff, Drew Hammill, stated that this trip was not a mere "public relations event," as the president claimed. "In Brussels, the delegation was scheduled to meet with top NATO commanders, U.S. military leaders and key allies–to affirm the United States’ ironclad commitment to the NATO alliance,” he tweeted. He added that in Afghanistan she planned to "obtain critical national security & intelligence briefings from those on the front lines."
So, who's winning this feud so far? I'm not sure, but I'll tell you who's definitely losing: the 800,000 federal workers who are going without pay.
