Speaker of the House Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) told members of his caucus that House Republicans would refuse to negotiate anything on immigration to end the government shutdown, which means that Republicans have just made their own situation worse.
Robert Costa tweeted what he is hearing from House Republicans:
Inside the room: House GOP read out headlines of NYT and AP, among others, and talked up idea this is a Dem-causes shutdown, per person there. Person adds that GOP holding to position and believe Senate Dems have to move toward them…
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 20, 2018
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Here’s where things stand, GOP members texting me about Ryan’s private remarks to conference… they say he just made clear to group that there will be no negotiating on immigration during shutdown but are open to talks on that front once govt is reopened…
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 20, 2018
Ryan told members just now that some Dems want a 5 day extension but Ryan is keen to stick with the bill House passed … he knows many Rs want DACA fix but at this point Dems have to agree to CR if they want any progress on that issue, per Members in the room
— Robert Costa (@costareports) January 20, 2018
Here is what would happen if Democrats would do what Ryan suggested. Republicans would get their month-long CR, try to weasel out of an immigration deal, and then come back in a month to demand another month-long CR. Paul Ryan was supposed to be a budget wonk, but his solution does not involve solving the real problem by passing a budget.
Republicans are desperate to end this shutdown fast, so Democrats aren’t going to give them a month. Trump and his Republicans are going to have to give on immigration and DACA if they want the shutdown to end. Democrats have beaten Republicans on every previous shutdown. The Democratic caucus is the minority in the House and Senate, but the minority is more united and stronger than the Republican majority.
Ryan’s chosen path is one that leads to failure, and dire electoral consequences in 2018 and 2020. Speaker Ryan is proving to voters that Republicans won’t govern, and the GOP’s my way or the highway approach to negotiating is the number one characteristic that voters hate about Washington.
Democrats can afford to wait out Trump, Ryan, and McConnell because eventually, their own internal dysfunction combined with public pressure will force them to cave and make a deal.
Speaker Ryan’s strategy is setting up long-term shutdown that could Republicans the House in November and Donald Trump the White House in 2020. Ryan is negotiating from a position of weakness, and each day that he, Trump, and McConnell, is another day closer to Democratic victories in 2018 and 2020.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
