The Republicans now own the reopening of the government on Trump’s terms, and they have a real problem when it comes to the cost crisis. Whether that helps the Democrats depends entirely on how the Democrats play it.
government shutdown
Posted inPolitics
One Weird Trick to Get Rid of Chuck Schumer
Multiple Democratic groups, House members, and candidates say it’s time for the Senate minority leader to go. It turns out any single Senate Democrat can force a vote on Schumer’s job.
Posted inPolitics
The Most Frustrating Thing About the Shutdown Cave
Senate Democrats actually know how to use their power to counter Donald Trump and ensure that legislative funding gets spent—but this continuing resolution makes it clear they chose not to.
Posted inPolitics
Democrats Get Rolled by Their Own
Coming out of last Tuesday’s election blowout, the Democrats were riding high and unified. But on Sunday night, centrist Senate Democrats, with Chuck Schumer’s tacit encouragement, voted to reopen the government on Republican terms.
Posted inPolitics
Why Does Schumer Keep Trying to Cave?
The Senate Democratic leader and his Gang of Eight keep trying to snatch defeat out of the jaws of victory. On Thursday, they told their caucus colleagues they had ten votes to reopen the government—in exchange for no real Republican concessions.
Posted inTAP
The Wave Election and the Politics of Shutdown
The most remarkable thing about Tuesday’s election was not just the Democratic sweep but how normally it went off. Republicans are now fracturing, and Democrats, almost in spite of themselves, are united.
Posted inPolitics
Chuck Schumer Is Not Fit to Lead the Democratic Party
The Senate leader doesn’t just betray his own party, he’s also terrible at leading it. In Trump’s second term, facing a full-on authoritarian attack on America’s democracy and constitutional structure, Schumer is simply incapable of mounting a determined resistance.
Posted inPolitics
Trump Lost the Politics of the Shutdown
On a political level, Democrats have succeeded in painting Republicans as mean and unfeeling stewards of American decline. But Trump may win on policy nonetheless, as a gang of Democrats prepares to squander their leverage based on a vague assurance.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
Trump Is Illegally Withholding Food From Needy Families
The White House claims it cannot fund food stamp benefits for November. But not only is there a contingency fund meant to be used in this exact fashion, but it’s illegal for the Trump administration to refuse to do so.
Posted inTAP
The Democrats’ Shutdown Challenge: How Long Must the Hurt Continue?
The problem the Democrats face in the current standoff is how to weigh these distinct forms of pain: immediate to a known universe of political allies; or long-term to a broader universe of, most importantly, swing voters.