Despite the negative economic impact, Trump terminated, effective in six months, President Obama’s executive order creating the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. This is the order that has kept Dreamers – people brought to the U.S. as children – from being deported. For many this is the only country they have known.
Trump demanded that Congress pass legislation within that six months to preserve the DACA program. That seems highly unlikely, as the reason Obama issued his executive order was because Congress was unable to pass such a bill.
By taking this approach, Trump achieved his primary goals of both fulfilling a campaign promise and trying to push any blame for the termination on Congress. He was too cowardly to even announce the termination himself, leaving it to Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Then, in a move that left Congressional Republicans seething, Trump sided with the Democrats to support bills that provided desperately needed money to FEMA for hurricane relief, raised the debt ceiling (allowing the U.S. to pay money it owes) and funded government operations until mid December.
Trump sought to ensure aid after Hurricane Harvey, desperately wanted a legislative win – and likely sought to punish Republicans in the Senate for failing to repeal Obamacare. With Trump’s support the legislation easily passed the Senate and then the House.
While the debt ceiling and government funding will have to be handled again in mid December, the Democrats gained negotiating leverage. The Republicans had wanted the debt ceiling raised for a period covering the 2018 midterms elections, so they would not have to vote again to do something opposed by the ultra right.
The Republicans will be reluctant to shut the government down over the holidays and closer to the 2018 midterm elections. Given this, the Democrats will likely try to tie legislation making DACA permanent to the December renewals.
The debt ceiling and funding bills likely cannot pass without Democratic votes, given that the House Freedom Caucus (also known as the House Maniacs) and their Senate kin will not vote in favor without cuts in government spending that the mainstream Republicans – and Trump – probably cannot accept.
Incoming Hurricane Irma had its own effect on politics. Scott Pruitt -- head of the Environmental Protection Agency, although certainly not a leader in environmental protection – stated that talking about climate change is “insensitive” to Floridians. Because, of course, you wouldn’t want to let anyone know why they were being hit with one of the largest, strongest hurricanes in history.
Not to be outdone, Rush Limbaugh claimed that Hurricane Irma was being exaggerated by the media to promote climate change, boost ratings and increase advertising revenue from businesses selling batteries and bottled water. He then decided to evacuate from his Palm Beach mansion, presenting yet another profile in courage.