You have to give it to the president, he knows how to make a bad predicament much, much worse.

Image via Politico

In 2019, president Trump appears to be working extremely hard to make the Democrats' job of opposing him as easy as humanly possible. Facing a career defining stand off with the House, Trump is laying it all on the line in order to get his infamous border wall. And the Democrats are absolutely loving it.

ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website

Not only has Trump said in public that he will take "full responsibility" for the government shutdown over funding for his wall, he is now saying that the shutdown could last "month or even years". Reported the Guardian:

As a partial US government shutdown hit the two-week mark, Donald Trumptold congressional leaders at the White House he was prepared for the standoff to last months or even years.

“Absolutely I said that,” said Trump during a Rose Garden press conference, when asked if Senator Chuck Schumer was correct in his claim that the White House was prepared to continue the shutdown indefinitely.

The president also upped the ante, threatening to declare a national emergency and build a border wall without congressional approval.

ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website

ADVERTISEMENT Thanks for watching! Visit Website

“I can do it if I want,” he said. He also suggested what he called “the military version of eminent domain” as a method of obtaining private property for wall construction.

If Trump does claim a national emergency and circumvent Congress to get his money, he would be walking into an even bigger trap. Firstly, Congress still has to OK the money, regardless of whether he declares a state of emergency. Secondly, the Democrats, who now have considerable power on Capitol Hill, will take massive legal action to prevent the gross abuse of power.

“The president’s authority in this area is intended for wars and genuine national emergencies,” said Evan Hollander, a spokesman for the House Appropriations Committee. “Asserting this authority to build a wasteful wall is legally dubious and would invite a legal challenge from Congress.”

Putting aside the impracticality of Trump's threats, his open declaration that the government could be shutdown for "years" is tantamount to political suicide. Americans are already blaming Trump for the failed negotiations, so his latest little outburst is going to turn them against him even more. It is clear that the Democrats are not going to give in to his ridiculous demands, or give him any sort of moral victory, so his threats are not going to make any difference.

This is what governmental oversight looks like, and Trump does not like it one bit. And unfortunately for him, it's going to get much, much worse.