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No agreement, no surprise

On Tuesday President Donald Trump gave a prime-time Oval Office speech calling for funding for a wall to curb the “crisis” on our southern border. Democratic leaders Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer responded, telling Trump to quit exaggerating the dangers and to stop holding the American people hostage.

After that we didn’t hold much hope for the meeting Trump said he had called to discuss the issue with the Democrats. And our low expectations were justified. In the meeting, according to news reports and statements from those who were there, Trump asked if Democrats would fund his wall if he agreed to reopen the government. Democrats say no. Trump said, “Then we have nothing to talk about,” and walked out.

This is an impasse that appears impassable. Trump is willing to reopen the government for a promise to fund the wall. Democrats are not willing to fund the wall, and so the government will remain shut down. We have a feeling there will have to be a lot more pain experienced from the government shutdown before the president and the Democratic leaders are willing to do more than say no to each other.

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