Address Delayed, Build The Wall, Our Reaction
"I am not looking for an alternative venue for the [State of the Union] Address because there is no venue that can compete with the history, tradition and importance of the House Chamber."
While the president's decision may disappoint some, my view is that there was no right or wrong solution to this unprecedented situation. Every option had positives and negatives.
In the meantime, he did not say what he will do Tuesday. There are reports that he will still give a speech Tuesday. It just won't be the formal State of the Union address.
But I do think that Nancy Pelosi is the one who looks small and petty. Congress is not shut down. Her initial concerns about security at the State of the Union were baseless.
She is still refusing to negotiate with the president. And, while she refuses to provide one dime for border security, she is insisting that your hard-earned tax dollars be used to pay for abortions overseas.
That said, the ongoing shutdown has hurt the president. His job approval rating in the latest Fox News poll is down to 43%.
Congress' approval rating is just 18%, and it's not likely to get better anytime soon as the Senate today rejected two proposals (one Republican and one Democrat) to re-open the government. So the Shutdown Showdown continues.
By the way, House and Senate Republicans have tried several times now (here, here and here) to pay federal workers impacted by the partial government shutdown. But Democrats have blocked them every time.
Speaking Of Polls. . . Progressives who think they have the president boxed in should think again. Their open borders agenda is extremely unpopular and so too is amnesty. Consider these results from a new Emerson College poll:
When asked about the president's compromise plan to provide temporary protection for DACA recipients (Dreamers) in exchange for $5.7 billion in wall funding, voters split 45% in favor to 55% against.
When asked about a "grand bargain" of full citizenship (amnesty) for Dreamers in exchange for wall funding, voters were solidly opposed: 66% against to 34% in favor.
Walls work. That's not just a talking point. It's a fact. Our own experience and that of dozens of nations have proven it.
Paying for the wall is easy. As we have noted before, the $5.7 billion the president is requesting as a down payment is less than we spend in one month on food stamps.
We could pay for the wall (two walls in fact) just by cracking down on improper government payments. The wall would also pay for itself over time.
We have a crisis at the border. That is a fact too.
According to the Pew Research Center, there were approximately 470,000 apprehensions at the southern border last year. That's just apprehensions. We have no idea how many illegal immigrants actually got in or who they are. That is unacceptable.
A wall will dramatically reduce illegal immigration and crime. Border security, like security on our homes, at banks and schools, is not bigotry. It's just common sense.
Our Reaction - I have been talking to a lot of parents lately, and I've heard from a lot of our readers about what happened to Karen Pence and to the Covington High School students.
I'm hearing differing reactions, and whichever one ends up prevailing is likely to determine how this culture war for the heart and soul of America is resolved.
Some people have said, "I'm glad those weren't my kids. I wouldn't want to be in that mess right now." I would argue that they were "your kids." If you don't think you are involved in the culture war, you don't understand what is happening.
The Covington High School students were representing the same values that you are teaching your kids. So don't think it's not going to be your child. Someday it will be your child.
Others have told me that they sat down with their children and told them to keep their views to themselves. They told their children to not argue with teachers and professors because it will negatively affect their grades. They have urged them to not post conservative opinions on social media.
Essentially, they told their kids to "keep your head down and your mouth shut." But that's no way to live. We cannot allow the left to intimidate us into silence.
Here's what I think we should be doing: Sit down with your children and tell them that the days of easy Christianity are over.
We have been unbelievably blessed to be able to live free lives as Catholics, Evangelicals and Orthodox Jews. Those days are gone. The left means to shut us up and shut us down.
Look at what happened to the Little Sisters of the Poor.
Look at what has happened to nominees who are devout Christians.
Look at what has happened to florists, bakers, fire chiefs, football coaches, college administrators and high-tech executives.
Look at what happened to the Covington High School students. There is nothing they could have done to prevent that fight except not come to Washington to march for life. They had a bull's eye on their backs the moment they got off the bus.
We are the descendants of men with strong wills. Our Founding Fathers defeated the greatest empire of their age and built a new nation on the idea that our rights come from God, not government.
We fought a brutal Civil War to end slavery and guarantee freedom for all. We defeated Nazism and Communism. That was not done by a weak people who run from a fight.
Our children will be the ones who will have to fight and win this culture war. This is a teachable moment for your kids. I am begging you to use it.
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Gary Bauer is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families
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