Commentary: WASHINGTON—NEA President Lily Eskelsen García issued the following statement in response to the Trump shutdown:
“Once again Americans are witnesses to a slow-moving train wreck, with Trump and Republican leaders at the helm. Make no mistake. What we have here with this manufactured government shutdown is a monumental and historic failure to lead, and yes, to compromise to address the nation’s priorities. The American public expects their elected leaders to perform the basic task of governing. Period. Donald Trump and Republican leadership in Washington had one job to do and they have failed miserably. They’ve let the American people down.
“The laundry list of unresolved pressing issues affecting Americans every day is long and growing. This shutdown did not happen overnight. It’s been in the making for months as GOP leadership has time and again failed to allow votes on issues with broad public support. Whether kicking the can down the road about how to pay the federal government’s bills, finding a permanent legislative fix to protect Dreamers, providing long-term health coverage for millions of low-income children and hundreds of thousands of pregnant women, funding disaster relief, or failing to keep the federal government open, all have led to this avoidable moment.
“It is time for Trump and Republican leadership to stop playing political games and start addressing the real issues confronting America, especially the most vulnerable among us.”