With the ongoing government shutdown frustrating the American people, a bill drafted by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) that favored Democrats’ demands was put forward to the Senate. And unbelievably, six Republican senators voted in favor of the bill — a level of duplicity that shocked insiders because they said it put the discussion of border security at risk.
Schumer’s bill featured a resolution to fund the government through February 8th, but failed to mention anything at all about funding the border, a clear indicator that the liberal left will stall as long as needed to prevent increased border security measures.
When the Senate held vote on the bill, six GOP senators sided with the Democrats and voted in favor of the bill, betraying their commitments to voters to keep America safe —
- Susan Collins (R-ME)
- Mitt Romney (R-UT)
- Lamar Alexander (R-TN)
- Cory Gardner (R-CO)
- Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
- Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
President Donald Trump is no stranger to GOP members opposing his policies., of course. Murkowski most notably sided with Democrats and voted against the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanagh.
Mitt Romney also took to the national stage before the 2016 presidential election to denounce President Trump and wrote an op-ed earlier this month condemning the president. But despite their personal issues, he told CNN on record that he would vote with the Republicans throughout the shutdown.
The deadlock between Republicans and Democrats has taken its toll on partisanship and loyalty, and tensions have become frayed. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) attacked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) on Thursday, and blamed McConnell squarely for the shutdown.
As the shutdown lingers, this betrayal by the six GOP members is proof that priorities might be shifting within the party.
Some don’t want to move forward without funding for a wall. Others just want to send federal employees back to work.
No matter what voters want.
—The Horn editorial team