We’re dealing with legislative terrorists right now. The Democratic Party is too foolish, irrational, and immature to negotiate a deal on DHS funding. To be honest, they’re making compelling arguments not only for eliminating the legislative filibuster, which even I have been hesitant to do, but also for dissolving the legislature and canceling all elections until these radical progressive forces are put down like the rabid dogs they are (politically). I don’t care. Those on the Hill are comfy, connected, and uninterested in the pain they’ve inflicted on TSA agents, scores of whom have quit.
Democrats triggered this 30-plus-day DHS shutdown when they rejected a continuing resolution to fund the agency over Presidents’ Day weekend. With Operation Epic Fury, terrorist reprisals are high. We’ve already seen a few lone wolf attacks, and Democrats remain calm about keeping this critical agency closed because they dislike Trump, but more because of his immigration policy that affects their political interests. It’s about them knowing they will lose power.
Rachael Bade, formerly of Politico, spoke with some Democrats about the recent deployment of ICE agents to airports to help relieve pressure on TSA. They’re overjoyed, for reasons that defy logic. This isn’t a win, guys. ICE is funded through 2029, including their deportation plans, so that should be emphasized in ads and in the minds of voters. Democrats shut down DHS over something that can’t even be influenced by congressional funding for another few years. Some of those inteviewed also seem to be rooting for shootings at airports:
Great — do it!” one senior Democratic official said to me. “Let’s fu—around and find out.”
Another predicted the optics would be disastrous for Trump: “Armed agents at airports will crush tourism and freak people out.”
A third couldn’t resist a jab: “Can they please show up in masks?”
Publicly, Democrats are calling the move ridiculous. Privately, though? They’re thrilled. The way they see it, Trump’s move screams desperation and that the White House is eager to resolve this issue before the spring break travel season.
Their thinking: If the White House is this rattled, Dems can squeeze even harder. Some are even betting Republicans will cave as soon as this week.
HERE’S THE DEM P.O.V., as laid out for me by multiple Democratic Hill sources:
Democrats doubt the administration is tone deaf enough to have ICE agents carry out immigration enforcement at airports. They’re skeptical agents will be checking travelers’ immigration papers, for instance. But even just the sight of ICE hanging around doors and exits will spook Americans, they insist — and make GOP immigration policy look even more chaotic and personal.
One Democratic source put it to me this way: The public stopped trusting Republicans on immigration when people started seeing the chaos up close — in places like Minnesota, where enforcement hit home. ICE showing up at airports would thrust the issue from the abstract into the everyday lives of millions of Americans, they argue.
[…]
OF COURSE, THESE DEMS COULD be wrong about all of this. Best-case scenario for Trump, his gambit works — ICE pitches in, lines get shorter, and spring break travel isn’t a total disaster. That would take the pressure off the White House and maybe get those stories and viral videos of endless airport lines out of the headlines.
What’s more, it’s worth noting that not everyone is reflexively opposed: Over the weekend, one Democratic voter told me he’d be open to ICE at airports if it speeds up TSA’s glacial wait times.
For a party that can't beat Trump, this is a funny conclusion. What are they actually winning? The goal of the DHS showdown is to rein in ICE, but that's not happening since the deportation operations are funded through 2029. Also, it's peak liberal media bubble stuff to think Americans believe Trump’s immigration policy is chaotic—it’s what helped him win the White House twice, you idiots. Second, I would take that argument more seriously if people were still talking about Alex Pretti and Renee Good—they’re not. They’re gone. Poof. Long forgotten, because most people know that when you interfere in police actions, you might get shot. If you try to run over federal agents, like Good did, you’re going to get righteously wasted with hot lead to the face. Both leftist clowns were just t-shirts of the week.
The issue here is the GOP: don’t blink, guys. Stay the course.
