OR Sen. Jeff Merkley SLAMS Trump's threat to send troops to Portland - and the Looming Shutdown ...
He first speaks about the troops trump wants but then speaks to the shutdown. His first comment is about Congress and the power of the purse and then HC, few Dems are zeroing in on the destruction of the Congress.
What good does it do to fund a project if the executive can undo their wishes?
"5:30
>> SENATOR MERKLEY, LET'S SHIFT
GEARS SLIGHTLY TO THE LOOMING
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, WHICH
WOULD HAPPEN IN THREE DAYS IF A
DEAL ISN'T REACHED. SO DONALD
TRUMP CANCELED A MEETING WITH
SENATOR SCHUMER AND HAKEEM
JEFFRIES, BUT NOW THEY ARE
GOING. THE LEADERSHIP IS GOING
TO THE WHITE HOUSE ON MONDAY TO
MEET WITH TRUMP. WHAT DO YOU
WANT THEM TO GET OUT OF THE
MEETING? AND IS THERE ONE
CONCESSION THAT MUST BE IN THE
BUDGETOR YOU TO SUPPORT IT?
>> WELL, WHAT TRUMP HAS TO
UNDERSTAND IS THAT DEMOCRATS
ARE NOT GOING TO SUPPORT
ANOTHER PARTIZAN. CONTINUING
RESOLUTION NEVER HAPPENED
BEFORE IN OUR HISTORY BEFORE
MARCH 15TH OF THIS YEAR. WE'RE
NOT GOING TO LET IT HAPPEN. IT
DID HAPPEN THEN. ENOUGH
DEMOCRATS PROVIDED VOTES. WE'RE
NOT GOING TO DO THAT AGAIN. AND
THERE ARE TWO MAIN ISSUES HERE.
ONE IS THE POWER OF THE PURSE.
WHAT HAS TRANSPIRED BETWEEN
MARCH 15TH AND NOW IS REPEATED
EFFORTS BY THE ADMINISTRATION
TO DECIDE WHAT PROGRAMS ARE
FUNDED AND WHICH AREN'T BY
SLOWING DOWN FUNDS, FREEZING
FUNDS, IMPOUNDING FUNDS, DOING
RESCISSIONS, DOING POCKET
RESCISSIONS ALL OF THESE
TACTICS, ALL OF THOSE ARE
CERTAINLY VIOLATE THE SPIRIT OF
THE CONSTITUTION. AND REALLY,
THE LETTER OF THE CONSTITUTION,
WHICH ASSIGNS THE POWER OF THE
PURSE TO CONGRESS. THE
PRESIDENT IMPLEMENTS A PROGRAM.
AND WHEN NIXON TRIED TO PROCEED
TO CUT PROGRAMS, THE SUPREME
COURT SAID NO. IN 1996, WHEN
CONGRESS PASSED A LINE ITEM,
VETOES GAVE THE PRESIDENT POWER
TO CANCEL PROGRAMS, THE SUPREME
COURT SAID, NO, IT'S A SIGN IN
THE CONSTITUTION OF CONGRESS.
WE HAVE TO RECLAIM THAT AND PUT
AN END TO THAT STRATEGY. THAT'S
VERY IMPORTANT. THE SECOND IS
HEALTH CARE, BECAUSE WHAT'S
ABOUT TO HAPPEN IS A VERY
SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN HEALTH
CARE FOR PEOPLE BUYING
INSURANCE ON THE EXCHANGE"