UP AGAINST A WALL

When it comes to the current federal government shutdown, there's definitely enough blame to go around.

Trump wants his border wall and the Democrats in congress ... well, the Democrats just want to make Trump back down. Democrats have voted for border walls in the past, under previous administrations. But now they are determined to make Trump look bad, and in the process they have turned their backs on the Dreamers. These are, of course, the illegal immigrants who were brought to this country while still children, some while still infants. They have grown up in this country; some don't speak Spanish.

The Democrats have, in the past, said they want to help these Dreamers and now would be the perfect opportunity for the Democrats to "walk the walk." Trump apparently is willing to compromise: a six billion dollar wall for permanent residency for the Dreamers. To most logical Americans, that seems to be a fair trade.

But the Democrats have not even put that offer on the table.

And this, I'm afraid, is evidence of the worst problem with most politicians. They are more concerned with making the other side look bad, and with being reelected, than they are with actually accomplishing something.

So, for the foreseeable future, Trump's wall will stay unbuilt, the Dreamers will stay in residency limbo, and the federal government will stay partially closed. It's a sad state of affairs.