As shutdown drags on, Tom Brokaw says Democrats as much to blame as Republicans: The ongoing partial government shutdown has now lasted a record 32 days, and veteran newsman Tom Brokaw is wagging his finger at all of Washington.
“I think the Democrats are as much to blame right now as the Republicans are,” Brokaw said Tuesday in an appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” program. “They’ve got control of the House, but they’re mostly just ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah. We’re not going to do you want to do.’ I haven’t seen a grand plan.”
Recent polls of voters show President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans getting blamed for the shutdown more than Democratic lawmakers. Some “Morning Joe” viewers were quick to criticize Brokaw, with tweets along the lines of “Tom Brokaw piling on the both sides — absolutely NOT. This is the Republicans.”
Brokaw on Tuesday also blasted Democratic newcomers to Congress, without naming names. He said: “You’ve got the young people running through the halls who are the new members of Congress — who are conducting pep rallies every day, instead of getting together with the more moderate people. ... They’re being driven hard by the left, so it’s a time of great chaos.” The longtime NBC anchor said people around the country are asking him when Democrats and Republicans will “get together and talk to each other.”
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Senate may vote Thursday on Trump’s offer: A procedural vote in the Senate on Trump’s proposal for ending the shutdown isn’t expected until later in the week, likely Thursday, says a Hill report.
Senators, who have been scattered around the country, were expected to get 24-hours advance notice of a vote so they can return to Washington, the report added. Yet it’s doubtful that legislation based on Trump’s plan has any chance of swiftly passing the Senate, as Republicans hold a 53-47 majority but need Democrats to reach the usual 60-vote threshold for bills to advance.
Trump on Saturday offered to extend temporary protections for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children in exchange for $5.7 billion for his border wall. The shutdown has been sparked by his demand for wall money.
“We expect that the first half of this week will be relatively quiet, and that real negotiations over what a passable deal looks like could begin as early as this weekend,” said Height Capital Markets analysts in a note Tuesday. They see potential for a deal by the end of January or beginning of February.
Americans grow more downbeat on the economy: Americans’ outlook for the economy has soured in the past two months, with 48% now saying economic conditions are worsening, says a new Gallup poll.
That’s up from 45% in December and 36% in November. Even so, people in the U.S. are still positive about the availability of quality jobs, Gallup reports.