️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️  It looks like the Republicans in Congress have failed again. (CNN) It looks like the Republicans in Congress have failed again. Republicans defeated a plan pushed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fund the Department of Homeland Security, money that congressional Republicans have been holding hostage in their effort to overturn President Obama's executive order on immigration.<unk> Republicans defeated a plan pushed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fund the Department of Homeland Security, money that congressional Republicans have been holding hostage in their effort to overturn President Obama's executive order on immigration.<unk> Republicans defeated a plan pushed by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to fund the Department of Homeland Security, money that congressional Republicans have been holding hostage in their effort to overturn President Obama's executive order on immigration.<unk> McConnell proposed that there would be a separate vote on the immigration issue. When Speaker John Boehner proposed an even narrower compromise, funding the Department for only three more weeks, his caucus said no. The final bill provides funding for one more week, at which point Congress needs to take up the issue again. When Speaker John Boehner proposed an even narrower compromise, funding the Department for only three more weeks, his caucus said no. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ Once again they are using up a valuable chunk of President Obama's political time.<unk> Once again they are using up a valuable chunk of President Obama's political time. Congress has already squandered several months rather than addressing bigger questions, such as economic inequality or climate change, which the White House hoped to put at the center of political debate even if the Republicans refused to do anything about these problems.<unk> Congress has already squandered several months rather than addressing larger questions, such as economic inequality or climate change, which the White House hoped to put at the center of political debate even if the Republicans refused to do anything about these problems. ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️ ️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk>️<unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> Every time that President Obama tried to introduce a new issue to the nation, whether that has to do with immigration reform or economic inequality, Republicans have instantly shifted public attention elsewhere by threatening extreme action on some other area of policy.<unk>Every time that President Obama tried to introduce a new issue to the nation, whether that has to do with immigration reform or economic inequality, Republicans have instantly shifted public attention elsewhere by threatening extreme action on some other area of policy. <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>
: GOP hogs the spotlight with funding deadlines like the battle over money for the Department of Homeland Security. (Julian Zelizer: GOP hogs the spotlight with funding deadlines like the battle over money for the Department of Homeland Security.) <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk> <unk>