Shutdown paused; now negotiate

President Donald Trump relented to heightening pressure Friday and decided to end the shutdown for now, even though he still doesn’t have funding for a border wall. No doubt, his opponents are viewing this as a win. Now the hard work begins, however, and Democrats must follow through on promises to negotiate a deal.

In addition to outcry from the public, Trump faced urging from Republican senators to reopen the government and allow Congress to address the president’s request for border funding through legislation.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi can’t see this as a victory, nor should it empower her to dodge discussions with the president.

If she and other Democrats try to avoid any talk of compromise, the government faces another stalemate in the coming weeks. And that’s unacceptable.

The shutdown’s damage to the economy was already evident, with predictions of “zero growth” from a top Trump economic adviser if the shutdown continued through the first quarter.