Enough is enough! And our Sen. Michael Bennet thinks so too! He went on a rant on the Senate floor Thursday. You really need to see it. He told Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, he’s done with his crocodile tears for first responders, since Cruz cared nothing for Coloradans in 2013 when our state was underwater, and Cruz voted to shut down the government then, just like now. Go to our online edition, you’ll find the YouTube link there.
Bennet said, “It’s his business, not my business why he (Cruz) supports a president who wants to erect a medieval barrier on the border of Texas — who wants to use eminent domain to build that wall — … take it from the farmers and ranchers … now he’s saying the taxpayers have to pay for it. That’s not what he said during his campaign. … he said Mexico was going to pay for the wall … now we’re here with the government shut down over his broken promise while the Chinese are landing spacecraft on the dark side of the moon. … America is not interested in having him keep (his promise).” You go Bennet!
I don’t care if you’re a Republican or a Democrat. I don’t care if you think we must have a border wall or if you are dead set against it. We are citizens; and our employees, our fellow citizens, have suffered enough for the sake of a political squabble. This ends NOW! Last week I said call McConnell and Gardner. Now we must call every Republican U.S. Senator and tell them to fund our government, no strings attached. Do it now. Do it as if your bills depend upon it. We have neighbors, friends and relatives who can’t pay their rent this month. They are depending on us. I put my notes next to the list. I’m going to keep calling today. Can we count on you?
1. Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Majority Leader, 202-224-2541: recording, could not leave a message
2. John Thune, R-S.D., Majority Whip, 202-224-2321: spoke to a staff member
3. John Barrasso R-WY, chairman of Republican Conference, 202-224-6441: spoke to a staff member
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4. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, Vice Chair, 202-224-3254: left a voicemail message (VM)
5. Roy Blunt, R-MO, Chair Policy Committee 202-224-5721: left a voicemail message
6. Todd Young, R-IN, Chair Senatorial Committee 202-224-5623: press 1, VM
7. Mike Lee, R-Utah, Chair Steering Committee, 202-224-5444: VM
8. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Chief Deputy Whip 202-224-6142: press 1, VM
9. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Senate President Pro-Tempore, 202-224-3744: VM
10. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, 202-224-5251: press 1, VM
11. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., 202-224-5972 Press 1, VM
12. Cory Gardener 202-224-5941: press 1, VM
13. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, 202-224-6665: press 3, staff, Murkowski supported both measures
14. John Boozman, R-AR, 202-224-4843: VM
15. Mike Braun, R-IN, 202-224-4814: spoke to staff
16. Richard Burr, R-N.C., (202) 224-3154: VM
17. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.V., 202-224-6472: VM
18. Bill Cassidy, R-LA, 202-224-5824: spoke to staff
19. Susan Collins, R-Maine, 202-224-2523: press 1, VM
20. John Cornyn, R-Texas, 202-224-2934: press 2, VM
21. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. ,202-224-2043: VM
22. Tom Cotton, R-AR, 202-224-2353
23. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, 202-224-5922
24. Steve Daines, R-MT, 202-224-2651
25. Michael Enzi, R-WY, 202-224-3424
26. Deb Fischer, R-NE, 202-224-6551
27. Josh Hawley, R-MO, 202-224-6154
28. John Hoeven, R-N.D., 202-224-2551
29. Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-MS, 202-224-5054
30. James Inhofe, R-OK, 202-224-4721
31. Johnny Isakson, R-GA, 202-224-3643
32. Ron Johnson, R-WI, 202-224-5323
33. John Kennedy, R-LA ,202-224-4623
34. James Lankford, R-OK, 202-224-5754
35. Martha McSally, R-AZ, 202-224-2235
36. Jerry Moran, R-KS, 202-224-6521
37. Rand Paul, R-KY, 202-224-4343
38. David Perdue, R-GA, 202-224-3521
39. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, 202-224-3353
40. James Risch, R-Idaho, 202-224-2752
41. Pat Roberts, R-KS, 202-224-4774
42. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., 202-224-5842
43. Marco Rubio, R-FL, 202-224-3041
44. Ben Sasse, R-NE, 202-224-4224
45. Rick Scott, R-FL, 202-224-5274
46. Tim Scott, R-S.C., 202-224-6121
47. Richard Shelby, R-AL, 202-224-5744
48. Tom Tillis, R-N.C., 202-224-6342
49. Patrick Toomey, R-PA, 202-224-4254
50. Roger Wicker, R-MS, 202-224-6253
51. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, 202-224-3004
52. Lamar Alexander, R-TN, 202-224-4944
53. Marsha Blackburn, R-TN, 202-224-3344
Why call Republicans and not Democrats? The Republicans passed the budget last December and then they changed their minds. They decided they had to have the border wall and would not pass the budget without the dedicated funds. Trump said he would take the credit for the government shutdown. But the credit reportedly really goes to Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. I’m so delighted to know my government is being run by people who are not elected to serve the people nor represent our interests.
Trump’s Secretary of Commerce multimillionaire Wilbur Ross apparently is clueless as to the dire straits of our U.S. government employees. He said they should trot themselves down to federally insured bank or credit unions and just take out a loan for their needs until this all blows over. He says it will be just “a little bit of interest.” Lara Trump, wife of Eric Trump said, “It is a little bit of a pain but it’s going to be for the future of our country. … I know it’s hard, I know people have families, they have bills to pay, they have mortgages, they have rents that are due — but the president is trying every single day to come up with a good solution here.”
Do any of these people have a clue? Do any of them know what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck? For the record, the people have spoken. Pew Research Center, Quinnipiac University, PBS polls and others all find that a majority of Americans oppose the wall and agree shutting down the government is not the way to settle this political dispute.
Republican spin masters are trying to convince us that Democrats are unwilling to secure the border. Again the Democrats and national polls demonstrate everyone favors more money for border security, they just don’t think the wall is the most effective way to get the job done. Who won’t compromise?
That’s why you need to call the Republicans. They are the ones who won’t listen to Americans.
See our digital online version of this column for links to source material. Susan Knopf is a Summit County resident. She has won awards from the Associated Press and United Press International for her news reporting.