BREAKING: The Democrats Just Put a “Blockade” on Congress! SHUT DOWN!

The Washington Examiner had more:

Senate Democrats on Thursday began a “blockade” of all legislation after Senate Republicans refused to consider two House-passed bills that would fund partially shut down government agencies without money for a border wall. 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., on Thursday morning blocked the two bills that were introduced by the two Democratic senators from Maryland, where thousands of federal government workers reside. Democrats made it clear afterward that they wouldn't agree to take up any bills other than those to reopen the government. 

“It’s my commitment to my federal workers and our country that the first order of business here should be the reopening of government,” said Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md. 

Democrats this week already blocked work on a pro-Israel bill, and Thursday afternoon, the blocked it again when Republicans called it up for a vote. That bill wold have allowed states to stop doing business with companies that boycott Israel, a move aimed at fighting the global effort to boycott, divest and sanction Israel. 

Democrats have also suggested they will filibuster all bills other than spending bills for the nine federal agencies subject to the partial shutdown. 

They were preparing to block the Israel-related bill again this week if Republicans bring it up, even though Democrats, including Cardin, are co-sponsors of that bill. 

McConnell called the move “a blockade” and said it was “rather unprecedented” for Democrats to block all floor legislation. 

“There are two shutdowns going on here,” McConnell said. “The Senate itself is being shut down because our Senate colleagues refuse to do business during this period. There is no precedent for that, no reason for that.” 

McConnell said there is no purpose to voting on the Senate-authored appropriations measures to reopen the government because President Trump will not sign them. 

Cardin suggested there may be the votes to override a veto, which would require two-thirds majority support of both chambers. But Republicans have signaled so far they are standing behind Trump’s insistence on funding for a border wall. 

Meanwhile, President Trump is taking real action:

From CNN:

Later in the afternoon, the standoff between Democrats and Republicans over the shutdown continued to play out in the chamber when Senate Democrats -- for the second time this week -- blocked an effort to bring up a Middle East policy bill in protest over the lack of action to end the shutdown. The vote was 53-43. 

That was the last scheduled vote of the week and many senators departed Washington for their home states. 

Asked if it is inappropriate for the Senate to leave with the shutdown still unresolved, Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia replied, "It's hard. I've got people back home I'm going to go visit -- food banks and different government workers -- and try give them some reassurances we're doing everything we can. I'm ready to vote."

In remarks on the Senate floor earlier in the day, McConnell blamed Democrats for the continued impasse, saying that the shutdown has been "prolonged by my Democratic colleagues' refusal to even come to the table." 

Prospects for any kind of a deal appear even dimmer after Trump declared on Wednesday that a meeting with Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to discuss the shutdown was "a total waste of time."

There have been signs in the past week that cracks are emerging among Senate Republicans with several GOP senators saying that they would support ending the partial shutdown even without a border wall deal. 

But the President still has a critical mass of congressional Republicans supporting him and McConnell has remained firm in saying he will only take up legislation to reopen government that the President backs.

Don't ya just love it?

Send Nancy a brick here!