Earlier this week DHS Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen was planning to deliver a border security briefing to leaders of congress.  After announcing they did not want to gain national security information that was adverse to their political interests, Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority House Democrat Leader Steny Hoyer, Democrat Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrat Senator Dick Durbin refused to attend the DHS briefing.
Today, after accepting the democrat’s political position, President Trump sent a letter to congress along with the full Border Security Briefing outline (full pdf below).
Dear Members of Congress:
Congratulations to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and her entire team, on her election to be Speaker of the House.  I look forward to working together on our shared priorities for the American People, including rebuilding our infrastructure, reforming unfair trade deals, and reducing the price of prescription drugs.
Our recent bipartisan success on numerous legislative accomplishments such as Criminal Justice Reform, opioid legislation, and the Farm Bill, underscores the extraordinary achievements that are possible when we rise above party politics to advance the good of the Nation as a whole.
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Oh dear.  U.S. President Donald J Trump just posted a graphic on his Instagram account that will likely make his political opposition go bananas.  Epic:

(Link)

From all appearances President Trump is not backing down from his demand for border security that includes a border wall physical barrier.  And while Democrats thought they had him painted into a zero-sum corner, well, there’s every indication the White House is prepared to let the partial government shutdown go on for months if needed.
This position now puts all the pressure on Nancy Pelosi.
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Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senator Dick Durbin discuss their democrat plan to re-open government while simultaneously keeping the open-border priorities in place.
The basic political position of the professional Democrats is to use the framework supported by their House and Senate UniParty colleagues to undermine the resolve of President Trump. In essence Pelosi and Schumer are weaponizing their alliance with McConnell and Ryan against the U.S. President:

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A leak from inside the White House stated Pelosi, Hoyer, Schumer and Durbin refused to enter the WH situation room for a classified briefing -by DHS Secretary Nielsen- on the current border security status. The Democrats refused to accept any information that was adverse to their current political interests. Media?…. crickets.
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South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham holds a press conference following lunch with President Donald Trump.  Beyond the border security shutdown issues, notably Senator Graham shares:

…” We had a great lunch.  We talked about Syria; and he told me some things I didn’t know that make me feel a lot better about where we’re headed in Syria”.. [@03:35]

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Incoming chief of staff Mick Mulvaney gives an impromptu press briefing to the media highlighting the position of incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the democrat intention to weaponize the government shutdown.
Career Democrats are working through a highly coordinated political agenda, defended by institutional media allies, that involve weaponizing the House of Representatives.

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Against the backdrop of a partial government shutdown (not really) Representative Mark Meadows (NC), Jim Jordan (OH) and Matt Gaetz (FL) discuss the ongoing budget appropriations standoff over border security and their meeting with President Trump.

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President Trump, First-Lady Melania and 12-year-old son Barron had previously planned to spend 16 days at their Mar-a-Lago estate with friends and family for the holidays.  First-Lady Melania and Barron departed last week.  However, President Trump said Friday he would remain in the nation’s capital if Congress could not reach an agreement to avert a partial government shutdown.

“Due to the shutdown, President Trump will remain in Washington, D.C. and the First Lady will return from Florida so they can spend Christmas together.”
~ Press Secretary Sarah Sanders

The House of Representatives voted tonight to include $5.7 billion for border security in a spending bill after President Trump warned them he would veto the spending bill without it.  Despite prior claims by Democrats the bill passed 217-185.

The bill now goes to the senate where Mitch McConnell, the GOP Decepticon caucus, and Chuck Schumer previously refused to consider border security.  If Schumer, McConnell and the Decepticons reject the bill it will likely lead to a partial government shutdown.

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White House senior adviser Stephen Miller joins Margaret Brennan to discuss the future of Obamacare and whether the government will shut down over the congressional funding battle regarding border security.

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President Donald Trump invites the media to stick around and watch as he highlights the resistance between his administration and democrats on border security.
Democrat leader Nancy Pelosi and Senator Chuck Schumer are very uncomfortable allowing the media to hear their resistance discussion.

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