Following the Presidents attempt to link the border wall with DACA, I think this is the perfect time for Speaker Pelosi and President Trump to meet face to face, one on one, to reach a deal on the budget impasse.
President Trump is scrambling to find a way out of the mess he’s made. I think he would be hard pressed to not meet with Speaker Pelosi to negotiate one on one for two reasons: His own (misguided) confidence in his ability to negotiate, and the fact that he’s willing to meet with foreign adversaries one on one. I mean if Trump can negotiate with Putin one on one, why can’t he do the same with Speaker Pelosi?!
If there is ever a President that I would want to have one on one in this position from my perspective, it is President Trump by a landslide. Think about the most recent example of his deal making abilities. President Trump took an expected call from President Erdogan of Turkey. In preparation for the call he was given talking points affirming American support for the Kurds. At the end of the call the President announced he was setting a course for the precipitous withdrawal of American troops from Syria!
That singular victory for Turkish ( and Russian) interests is just one example of many in which Trump has made agreements that heavily favor the party which HE negotiated with. That’s why we need a Pelosi/Trump summit… one on one…
Remember when President Obama tried to reach a grand deal with Speaker Boehner? The situation has reversed and Democrats can not have been given a greater chance to reach a deal that heavily favors our interests.
Trump is desperate to get out of the mess he’s made. Ask me which situation is better: Grand bargain deal between Obama/Boehner or bargain between Trump/Pelosi?
I can understand the position that we can’t allow government shutdowns to be a bargaining chip and whatever happens MUST follow re-opening the government. BUT… if Democrats completely dominate the final outcome (at the cost of a few hundred miles of border wall?) I doubt Republicans will want to use this tactic again for a long time!
Hell, Trump is such a bad negotiator that Pelosi may come out of the meeting with everything we want, and no border wall funding whatsoever!