The phrase “coyote ugly” is used to describe a scenario in which two persons are laying next to one another, and one person decides that the other person is so aesthetically displeasing, they would rather chew off their own arm, than continue sleeping next to this person. The phrase can also be applied to situation containing a sizable disagreement between to parties, and rather than negotiate and find peace, one party would rather chew off their own arm, or elect to take up a course of action akin to coyote-esque self-mutilation. Presently, it would seem as if President Donald Trump is trapped beneath the head of the Democratic leadership who refuses to grant him his longstanding billion dollar budget request to construct his border wall along the US-Mexico border. Initially, Trump threatened Democrats with a government shutdown if they failed to acquiesce to his demands, and, as many of you are aware, he made good on this threat. In a recent poll taken between Dec. 21 – 23, 39 percent of registered voters — including 80 percent of Republicans — approved of the president’s current performance, whereas 56 percent — including 90 percent of Democrats and 57 percent of independents — did not, according to Morning Consult. The President’s current approval ratings haven’t been this low since refused to condemn neo-Nazis who held a white nationalist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, back in August 2017.
As it stands, a quarter of the federal government is currently shut down, including the Department of Justice, Interior, and the Department of Homeland Security. In anticipation of a federal government shutdown, several weeks ago, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue issued a public statement informing Americans, namely those that rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, on how the USDA will make its services available in the event of a shutdown.
“USDA is committed to safeguarding life and property through the critical services we provide – and should the government shutdown, we will continue to do just that. I am proud of each USDA employee for everything they do to benefit the farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers who depend on our services. It is their mission each day to fulfill our USDA motto, ‘Do right and feed everyone.”
–Sonny Perdue, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Perdue went on to explain that the SNAP program and other government-funded food support programs including child nutrition programs in schools, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, will “have funding available to operate through the month of February, and many have funds to continue operations through March…” The Trump administration reaffirmed their stance, at the time, on unplugging the government in the event of Congress deciding not to give Trump his milk money, with senior adviser Stephen Miller referring to this as a “fundamental issue.”
“Have the Democrats finally realized that we desperately need Border Security and a Wall on the Southern Border. Need to stop Drugs, Human Trafficking, Gang Members, and Criminals from coming into our Country. Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are Democrats?
–President Donald Trump on Twitter
Suffice to say the odds have yet to be in Trump’s favor so, like a coyote caught in a trap, the President elected to take the most rational course of action he could contemplate; he threatened to declare a national emergency. Indeed, President Trump, undoubtedly feeling pressure from the 116th Congress, with its Democratic majority in the House of Representatives, told reporters at the White House on Sunday, that “we’re looking at a national emergency because we have a national emergency — just read the papers.” Some analysts believe President Trump’s recent move is emblematic of the possibility that Trump feels cornered, and rather than handle the present crisis, he’d prefer to ignite a larger controversy, chock full of sound bites and tweets, all the while buying his administration more time to figure out a way to convince the Democratic leadership.
Sources have pointed out that the Department of Defense has indicated that, if the President does, in fact, institute a national state of emergency, they will invoke the use Title 10 U.S. code to allow the military to construct the border wall. The code referenced by the DOD states:
“In the event of a declaration of war or the declaration by the President of a national emergency in accordance with the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) that requires use of the armed forces, the Secretary of Defense … may undertake military construction projects, and may authorize the Secretaries of the military departments to undertake military construction projects, not otherwise authorized by law that are necessary to support such use of the armed forces.”
–50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.
Though I haven’t the foggiest idea of how President Trump will succeed in using the US military to assist him in his border wall project, I admire the gumption of our President, and his unrelenting drive to go to whatever length it may take to get what he wants.
