Editorial: What’s "immoral" about a wall, Speaker Pelosi?

WITH THE federal government’s partial shutdown now entering a third week, Washington is in a deep hole, and the major players’ enthusiasm for digging is undiminished.

President Trump is primarily responsible, obviously, having first signaled he would sign a spending bill to keep the government running into February, only to cave to hard-liners in his base by refusing to sign just such a measure when the Republican-controlled Senate passed it before the holidays. That has put Republican Mitch McConnell (Ky.), the Senate majority leader, in a petulant funk, refusing to consider any legislation to fund the government until the president first says he’ll sign it.

Those seeking a compromise might reasonably invest their hopes in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), a canny political pro who is second to none in getting to yes. However, she will have an easier time pulling a rabbit out of this hat if she stops opposing Mr. Trump’s wall in absolutist terms, calling it “immoral,” as she did last month, and “an immorality between countries,” as she said Thursday.