Peanuts is an American classic. One of the ordeals for Charlie Brown is his repeated misplaced trust in Lucy holding the football for kickoff. 

Time after time, Lucy assures Charlie that she will hold the football. Charlie hesitates because she always pulls the football away. 

Finally, Charlie again trusts Lucy and races forward to kick the ball. At the last split second, Lucy snatches the ball out of the way. Charlie flips backwards through the air, landing on his back with a thud.

In some ways this is a good analogy of what is going on between the Democrats and President Trump in the government shutdown. 

The latest proposals from the Democrats provide for opening the government for two or three weeks. During the two or three weeks, the Democrats promise that they will make an honest and diligent effort to consider the President’s request for border security. 

Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, called on the President to postpone his State of the Union address. It is scheduled for January 29. She wants him to wait until the government is reopened. 

She also suggested that he deliver it in writing rather than a televised address to the American people. Her request is understandable given her poor performance with Chuck Schumer in their response to President Trump’s Whitehouse address on border security. 

So far, the President is not buying it. He is standing firm. 

Democrats are playing the role of Lucy. They promise that if President Trump will sign a bill to fund the government for just two or three weeks, they can work things out.

The script assures us that Charlie Brown will finally trust Lucy. There is a big difference this time. President Trump is not Charlie Brown. 

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