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Trump Needs To Rethink Position On Border Wall

Democrat leaders in Congress, spurred on by House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have made it clear they do not care how long the partial shutdown of government continues, as long as they get their way: no money for a physical barrier along the nation’s southern border.

Never mind that Pelosi, D-Calif., and other Democrats have agreed in the past for such a barrier. Never mind that sections of “the wall” they now call immoral already have been built with their blessing. And never mind that Border Patrol agents agree more barriers would help curb illegal immigration.

No, say Pelosi and those content to parrot her words.

That leaves it up to President Donald Trump to be the adult in the room.

For weeks, Trump has insisted he would not clear the way to resuming government operations affected by the shutdown until Pelosi and company approve $5.7 billion in funding for the barrier. But now, with the shutdown on the verge of a month in duration, the president should rethink his position.

About 800,000 federal workers are suffering because they are not being paid. Some are reporting to work anyway. Segments of the economy, especially in communities where government is a primary employer, are being hurt.

It would be one thing if continuing the standoff might accomplish something. But it will not, as a substantial number of Republicans in Congress have come to realize.

They are suggesting that Trump allow shut down agencies to resume normal operations. That is the only way she will even talk about “the wall,” Pelosi has insisted.

Fine. Pelosi and fellow liberals have no intention about discussing serious immigration reform. Bowing to their demand to end the shutdown would give Trump an opportunity to let the American people see that — to expose the liberals for what they are doing, which is using illegal immigration for their own cynical, selfish political purposes.

So Trump should end the shutdown. It’s time to move on.

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