Yesterday, Democratic U.S. Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado absolutely slammed Donald Trump and Republican U.S. Senator Rafael Edward “Ted” Cruz over the Trump Shutdown and Trump’s border wall idea. As the above video shows, Bennet was responding to Cruz’ statement implying that Democrats could end the shutdown simply by voting the Republicans’ way (meaning, giving into Trump’s hostage taking by approving border wall funding as a condition for reopening the government). Bennet vehemently attacked Cruz and Trump on the following:
— Cruz’ mention of first responders not being paid during the Trump Shutdown is “crocodile tears” given that Cruz caused a government shutdown in 2013, while Colorado was experiencing emergency flooding. According to an extremely impassioned Bennet:
People were killed! People’s houses were destroyed! Their small businesses were ruined! Forever!
— The idea of erecting a “Medieval wall” on the border of Texas.
— Proposing “to use ’eminent domain’ [i.e., government taking of private property] to build the wall.”
— The desire “to declare an unconstitutional emergency to build that wall.”
— What would happen in Colorado if such a wall were proposed there:
I can assure you that in Colorado, if a president said he was going to use ’eminent domain’ to erect a barrier across the state of Colorado, across the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, he was going to steal the property of our farmers and ranchers to build his Medieval wall, there wouldn’t be an elected leader from our state that would support that idea.
— Calling out Trump for his repeated false promises that Mexico would pay for his wall.
What was so striking and effective about Bennet’s attack is that it largely comes from the right, in criticizing the idea of shutting down the government to try to steal private property from farmers and ranchers. Indeed, there is a long-running movement among conservatives, especially in the west, to claim private property rights and, for example, attempt to privatize federal lands. Bennet flipped the script on the Republicans over Trump’s and Cruz’s desire to take private land for the government wall. That is a Karl Rove-style tactic, to attack your opponent on his supposed strengths, and it could resonate well with conservatives, not just Democrats (and much of the country at large) who already oppose the Trump Shutdown and the wall. Indeed, just this afternoon, Donald Trump caved, agreeing to a three-week Continuing Resolution to fund the government at pre-shutdown levels, without any promise of funding for his wall.
Bennet also deserves bonus points for his “Medieval wall” framing, which is a reminder that Democrats are for smart border security, but not Trump’s antiquated and ineffective wall.
