REPORT: Gov’t Shutdown Cost Seven Times More Than Trump Wanted for the Wall

The partial government shutdown is over…for now.

President Trump agreed to reopen the government until February 15, in large part so federal workers could receive their back pay.

The shutdown, of course, occurred because Democrats did not want to give Trump $5.7 billion for a border wall.

However, a new study suggests the 35-day shutdown actually cost seven times more than the amount of money requested for the wall by the Trump administration.

A new report by a statistics professor at Washington University in St. Louis estimates that the 35-day partial government shutdown cost seven times more than the $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump requested for a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Liberty Vittert, who is also an ambassador for the Royal Statistical Society, writes that estimates for the cost of the shutdown per day range from $52 million to $360 million.

More, per Fox News:

Standard & Poor’s has estimated that this shutdown will cost the American economy $6.5 billion per week – a figure they based on data from previous shutdowns. This estimate includes the reduction in spending by furloughed federal workers (though not their actual pay), as well as other trickle-down effects: lost business and revenue to private contractors, fewer vacations and school trips due to park closures, etc. That puts us at about $32 billion just for basic economic disruption.

[…]

Altogether, I estimate that the 35-day shutdown cost the American public somewhere around $40 billion. And that economic damage doesn’t include the unquantifiable damage being done to the 800,000 people who are going without a paycheck.

President Trump wants it known.

He did not cave to Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats.

By agreeing to reopen the government, he has not ended his campaign to build a wall on America’s southern border.

WATCH:

JUST IN: "We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shutdown on February 15 again or I will use the powers afforded to me…to address this emergency." https://t.co/w0K6ccMKt9 pic.twitter.com/68gUwwiRHp

— Good Morning America (@GMA) January 25, 2019

Trump noted, “I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!”

Here’s the tweet:

I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 26, 2019

Press Secretary Sarah Sanders elaborated, noting that the wall is coming in 21 days “with or without the Democrats.”

In 21 days President @realDonaldTrump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing

In 21 days President @realDonaldTrump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing https://t.co/dMaDfBOIuT

— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) January 26, 2019

California Congresswoman Maxine Waters is loaded.

And yet, during a time when government workers are seeing their paychecks withheld due to the Democrat shutdown, Waters has no problem flying first class.

Talk about out of touch!

LOOK:

HEY LOOK – It’s Maxine Waters sitting in First Class on my flight to DC during the government shutdown.

Fancy.

This is the only photo I could snap since she’s in the first row & I’m literally in the last row.

(She’s reading a newspaper article about herself – lol)
pic.twitter.com/lXcAidRLPY

— Benny (@bennyjohnson) January 22, 2019

According to Waters in a not-so-subtle threat, it’s time to “get rid” of “despicable” President Trump.

“We must understand that the Fed does not work for the president of the United States. The Fed creates monetary policy based on what’s good for the economy and, of course, I may disagree from time to time with their decisions but we must not interfere. They must be independent. Right now Powell is saying that they’re dealing with inflation, but they don’t work for the president. The president can’t fire them. All that the president can do when he opens his mouth is rattle the markets. As a matter of fact, the volatility that you see in the markets is caused by the kinds of statements that this president will make causing more uncertainty.”

“I’m not surprised that the president is doing this because I’m not surprised at anything that the president may do or say. I have warned America from the beginning that this president is not worthy, he cannot be trusted, he’s a liar, He’s despicable. Any time he steps in, opens his mouth, tries to interfere with one of our agencies I’m not shocked but the American people continue to be shocked. The Republicans are intimidated and not standing by their responsibility for oversight and dealing with this president. So, yes, no, Powell does not work for him. The attorney general should not work for him, but he thinks that they all should be working for him and not for the American people. We need to get rid of this president.“

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