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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi took an extraordinary step yesterday, sending a letter to the President of the United States, announcing she is delaying his Constitutionally mandated State of the Union address to Congress until another time.
"Or," she suggested the president may skip the speech and send Congress his thoughts in writing.
Be informed.
The president had been scheduled to give his State of the Union address on January 29, however, Pelosi's letter explained how things have changed.
She began,
"On January 3rd, it was my privilege as Speaker to invite you to deliver the State of the Union address on January 29. The Constitution calls for the president 'from time to time give Congress information of the 'State of the Union'," Pelosi wrote.
She went on to note that "since the start of the modern budgeting in Fiscal Year 1977, a State of the Union address has never been delivered during a government shutdown."
She concluded,
"Sadly, given the security concerns and unless the government reopens this week, I suggest that we work together to determine another suitable date after the government has reopened for this address or for you to consider delivering your State of the Union address in writing to Congress on January 29."
Pelosi went on to detail the need for proper security, noting that because of the "government shutdown," proper security would not be available.
What she failed to mention is that President Trump invited Democrat members to the White House this week to meet with him and discuss government funding which would include funding for the wall. All of them were so fearful of Pelosi, they didn't show up.
Last week, a very tense meeting between President Trump and Pelosi and Schumer ended abruptly. When they told the president they would not consider funding a wall under any circumstances, he stood and walked out of the room.
Pelosi and Schumer left the White House and told the press---who dutifully reported, that the president had slammed his hand on the table, threw a temper tantrum and walked out.
However, Vice President Pence and House Minority Leader McCarthy, who were in the meeting, said that wasn't what happened at all. There was no slamming of hand or fist and no temper tantrum. They said the president simply said there was no further reason to continue the meeting and went on to his next meeting.
Does Pelosi have the authority to do this?
Yes, she does. She could have rescinded the invitation to the president altogether, but she didn't.
The address, historically, has not always been delivered in person. Thomas Jefferson started the practice of submitting the address in writing, and it was not until Woodrow Wilson's administration that the speech was delivered in person again.
Is this really about "security?"
Obviously, security is always a major factor when the leadership of the most powerful nation in the history of the world gathers in one place.
However, most know this is a power play. Pelosi operates much like the Mafia---and it's difficult to overstate her level of personal confidence and self-importance.
In fact, her daughter Alexandra, said earlier this month, "She'll cut your head off and you won't even know you are bleeding."
Donald Trump Jr., has, in recent days, been calling for Pelosi to meet with the families of victims who have been killed by illegal aliens. The "Angel Moms" have been requesting a meeting with the Speaker---she has not even responded.
When Trump Jr., saw the letter sent to his father, he told the Daily Caller,
"Speaker Pelosi is clearly trying to block my father from giving his State of the Union speech, not because 20% of the government is shut down, but because she is terrified of him having another opportunity to speak directly to the American people about her party's obstruction, unfiltered and without her friends in the media running interference for her."
And he continued,
"Pelosi correctly recognizes that the more President Trump shines the spotlight on the very real human tragedies that occur because of her and her party's open border policies, the more of a political loser it becomes for them."
Jim Jordan of the House Freedom Caucus, a group of conservatives Republicans who are close to Trump, told the press:
"It sure sounds like she's looking to not have the president come and give the State of the Union address, not have the commander-in-chief come and address the nation. I think it shows that they're more focused on stopping the president than they are on serving the country."
As these kinds of statements started getting around the Capitol yesterday, Pelosi called in a CBS camera and told them she really is concerned about security---really. There is no way the Secret Service can do their job because of Trump's shut down of government, referencing the lack of pay and the possible effect on security surrounding the annual landmark event.
The Secret Service responds.
After hearing Pelosi, the US Secret Service began to push back publicly against her claims that the agents were incapable of providing sufficient security for President Trump's State of the Union address due to government shutdown.
A senior Secret Service official told Pete Williams at NBC,
"Secret Service is fully ready to offer full protection during the State of the Union, it's a no-fail mission. Though the US personnel are not being paid, the intelligence & protection functions are fully staffed."
"We've been planning this for months, as we always do. It didn't start up 29 days ago," the official said.
It's clear that Democratic leadership hates Trump more than they love this country.
Author and historian Dinesh D'Souza has written, rightly so,
"Contrary to what we learn from progressives in education and the media, the history of the Democratic Party well into the twentieth century is a virtually uninterrupted history of thievery, corruption, and bigotry."
And it was Thomas Jefferson himself who said,
"Experience has shown, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny."
Be Informed. Be Vigilant. Be Discerning. Be Prayerful.