Cornyn hopeful for congressional solution to border wall spat, questions term limits and Trump social media use

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — U.S. Senator John Cornyn wants to give the group of 17 senators and representatives the chance to come to a deal on border security funding.

President Donald Trump tweeted earlier Thursday stating the Republicans on the committee are wasting their time as some Democrats, including Laredo Rep. Henry Cuellar, stated they will not budge from their position of no money for a wall.

“This is in fact Congress’ responsibility, this is the way it is supposed to work,” Cornyn told KTSA’s Jack Riccardi Thursday morning.  “We work out differences every day.”

The Republican said he did not want to see the committee fail to come to an agreement before the February 15th deadline set by the president.

“I’m not in favor of another government shutdown,” Cornyn stated.  “I think a lot of people end up being collateral damages to our inability to work through these difference.”

NEW ABORTION LAWS

New York recently passed a new law allowing late-term abortions and Virginia is considering the same.

In fact, Virginia’s governor told a Washington, DC, radio station Wednesday that abortions could occur after the baby is born.

Cornyn was asked about his take on these new takes some states have on abortion.  He stated this was part of the ‘derangement’ rising on the liberal side of the political spectrum.

“This is sort of the new normal among some elements of the Democratic Party that had gotten increasingly radicalized,” Cornyn told Riccardi.  “Return to socialism, infanticide, bankrupting the Medicare program that seniors depend on for their healthcare.”

TERM LIMITS

Earlier this month, Sen. Ted Cruz introduced a bill to put in term limits.

Cornyn is not a fan of that proposal.

“I think the best term limits plan is regular elections,” the Republican told Riccardi.  “I think there is some benefits to the sorts of things that you learn through longer service in the Senate and the House.”

The senator stated limiting term lengths gives lobbyists and special interests more power in Washington, since they will have more staying power and influence than the lawmakers they will be interacting with.

TRUMP ON TWITTER

One major difference between the senator and the president are the ways they use social media — namely Twitter.

“Well, that’s President Trump’s way,” Cornyn stated.  “He gets on Twitter and says what he wants to say.”

The Republican stated he does not feel using Twitter is an effective way to communicate from the White House, saying it could cause more problems than resolve.

“Sometimes I think it creates a little confusion and disruption that does not serve his interests well,” Cornyn said in the radio interview.  “He values his ability to communicate directly with the American people and not go through the filter of the mainstream media or anybody else for that matter.”

In fact, the senator said he and others have had with the president about his social media use.

“I’ve been in a number of meetings where it has been discussed and he said, ‘No, I’m going to keep doing it.’  He said, ‘This is my way of talking directly to the American people’ and he said he thinks that’s one of the reasons he got elected — his ability to do that.”