Staff Reports
Republican members of the chamber are prone to expressing disapproval and shaking their heads when they observe the abrupt and unsettling alliance between Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and President Joe Biden over a novel proposition that would facilitate unrestricted migration and allocate tens of billions of dollars in foreign aid to Ukraine.
McConnell Ally John Thune Pushes Senate Open Borders Deal: ‘Unique Moment in Time’ https://t.co/9yIlbm1ui2
— The Blare (@drrevsketch) January 17, 2024
Before the election year, the White House would do anything to dismiss this as a decisive victory, displaying the white flag and thereby forgoing the greatest leverage the Republicans have had in recent years to enact substantive policy changes regarding the border. Undoubtedly, this has the potential to provide an enduring solution to one of the most urgent concerns of the American people.
For months, Senate negotiators have laboriously sought a means to semblances of border security measures packaged with billions of dollars in supplemental funding, with the primary objective of bolstering Ukraine's ongoing conflict with Russia. Since this conflict stalled almost a year ago, incalculable billions of dollars have been wasted and innumerable lives have been lost.
In an effort to reach a compromise on both fronts, the Republican House of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has insisted on a border package with genuine impact despite its extreme reluctance to increase foreign aid.
The provisions of the potential agreement, which equate to complete capitulation at the border, have generated extensive censure. Johnson has indicated his intention to abstain from introducing the aforementioned bill to the House floor.
Johnson is expected to be coerced into submission by Biden on Wednesday, when he hosts congressional leaders at the White House.
Thune, who has unexpectedly aligned himself with Biden, is openly endorsing the disclosed agreement and considers it deserving of support.
As per confidential sources, Thune is reportedly lulling Biden to sleep with his assertion that the alleged border policy under consideration would have been entirely unattainable with a Republican majority in the Senate. He claims that this is an unprecedented opportunity to finally implement ultraconservative border policies that have eluded Republicans for the past four decades.
Thune posits that in the presence of a Republican majority and president, the Democratic Party would be unwilling to furnish the required sixty votes to pass a border package. In contrast, the Democrats are currently compelled to concede to the Republicans' border policy proposals due to the critical nature of the foreign assistance package, which is an administration priority under Biden and which cannot proceed without their backing.
For several months, the senator from South Dakota has engaged in a vacillating position, alternately expressing support for H.R. 2 while requesting concessions from the White House and expressing skepticism that the entire effort would be in vain.
Thune touted Johnson's plan to tie H.R. 2 to foreign aid in early November, when discussions on border security and foreign aid were just beginning. He claimed that the measure had substantial Republican support and was poised to be decisive.
Nevertheless, Thune appeared to change his mind within days, asserting that "nothing had been resolved" concerning the connection of Ukraine aid to particular border benchmarks. His concern that any legislation they passed would not be enacted by the current administration was warranted, and he cautioned that the most effective policies would be disregarded in the absence of appropriate metrics and consequences.
It is noteworthy to mention that Thune's current position is in direct opposition to these recent remarks, which reflect the viewpoint expressed by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell that any efforts to make advancements along the border under a hypothetical future Trump administration would be in vain.
Thune appeared supportive of Senate negotiators continuing to work on the Ukraine-border package over the Thanksgiving break, despite these reservations expressed in November. He vowed that action on Ukraine would not have to wait until mid-January, when Congress confronts another government funding deadline.
Furthermore, he has consistently adopted an unyielding position regarding border security, deeming the White House's endeavors in this area a "total and utter failure" and insisting that supplemental financing legislation is insurmountable unless the border national security crisis is addressed.
Additionally, Thune has urged the Biden administration to make concessions in order to secure the passage of a measure. He emphasized that in order to successfully finalize the agreement before the holidays, the White House would need to initiate the process of reaching compromises.
However, he appears to have reversed his position and now maintains that the onus is on the Republicans to compromise.
The complexities surrounding the government financing dispute have influenced the formulation of the approach towards achieving a border-Ukraine agreement.
A continuing resolution, which was enacted by Congress in September in an effort to avert a partial government shutdown, squandered a crucial opportunity to further deplete American funds in support of Ukraine and sparked the subsequent rush to reach an agreement on the border and Ukraine.
With government funding nearing its precipice this Friday, it is anticipated that Congress will once more approve a continuing resolution, thereby denying staunch supporters of Ukraine an additional opportunity to increase funding.
It would appear that certain legislators, including Thune, have been compelled by these conditions to strike a delicate balance between the interests of the globalist, pro-cheap labor donor class and the demands of the American people for effective border control.
Thune has unmistakably stated his intention to succeed McConnell as the preeminent Senate Republican, and the backing of these benefactors is frequently essential for advancing in the Senate leadership hierarchy.
