Schumer Surrenders
Democrats will never win if they never fight!
House Republicans included draconian cuts to Medicaid, veterans and other federal programs in their budget. The government runs out of money on Friday, Mar 14th so the GOP crafted a Continuing Resolution to fund the government for six months. This gives them time to force their budget cuts on the American people using reconciliation so that Senate Democrats are powerless to stop them. The CR also allows Elon Musk and his D.O.G.E. tweens six more months to wreak havoc and chaos by illegally firing federal employees, cutting funds, and closing down entire departments.
Seems like a good time for Democrats to band together and say enough is enough, right? That is exactly what House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries did with his caucus. All but one Democrat voted against the CR in the House which did not stop it from moving forward but sent a message that Democrats would not be complicit in destroying America.
The CR moved to the Senate and on Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that Republicans “do not have the votes” to pass the CR. In the Senate, 60 votes are required for cloture which then allows a measure to be voted up or down by a simple majority.
Democrats cheered. A government shutdown hurts everyone, but Trump and Musk are hurting even more people with their slash-and-burn partisan attack on democracy.
One day later, Schumer surrendered. "While the Republican bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much much worse. For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option," he said. "It is not a clean CR. It is deeply partisan. It doesn't address far too many of this country's needs, but I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even much more power in a government shutdown is a far worse option."
Democrats were understandably outraged at Schumer’s Surrender. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave voice to what many House Democrats felt: "There are members of Congress who have won Trump-held districts in some of the most difficult territories in the United States, who walked the plank and took innumerable risks in order to defend the American people ... just to see some Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing to Elon Musk, I think it is a huge slap in the face and I think that there's a wide sense of betrayal."
Thousands of others took to social media to criticize Schumer’s total capitulation. You have to give him credit. He has done something that very few politicians have ever accomplished which is to be hated by nearly everyone in both parties.
Schumer’s Defense
Why would Schumer give up the one piece of leverage that Democrats have? He put forth two reasons:
A shutdown plays into Trump and Musk’s hands, allowing them to continue their DOGEY attack on the federal government.
A shutdown would be a political gift to Trump because it would distract from his “awful agenda.”
How does someone survive in politics for so long and yet be so completely wrong?
First, Elon Musk and D.O.G.E. staff are federal employees. They cannot work if the government is shut down. If Trump claims they are “essential,” Democrats can sue because clearly D.O.G.E is not essential.
Schumer also claims that Trump might not bring back all the furloughed employees, but isn’t that the point of having leverage? You force the GOP to the negotiating table and you force them to stop the cutting and burning or the government does not re-open.
Second, “Donald Trump is hoping for a shutdown, because it will distract from their true agenda: delivering massive tax cuts to the rich paid for on the backs on American families,” Schumer said on X.”
“Right now, Donald Trump owns the chaos in the government. He owns the chaos in the stock market,” he added. “In a shutdown, we would be busy fighting with Republicans over which agencies to reopen, which to keep closed, instead of debating the damage Donald Trump’s agenda is causing the American people.”
This is flat-out wrong. A shutdown and the fight to re-open would highlight Trump’s awful agenda and the chaos he and Musk are causing. It would bring enormous pressure on the Trump Administration to agree to rein in the idiots at D.O.G.E. so the government can re-open because a shutdown hurts MAGA voters too! And they, more than anyone else, need to feel the pain because they’re the ones who got us into this mess and they’re the only ones who can get us out.
Chuck Schumer needs to retire or be primaried (hello AOC?). As I' said before, we need leaders like Mitch McConnell who know how to get in the mud and fight for us. If Feckless Chuck or anyone else does not have the guts or the spine to stand up to Trump, then get out of our way. Because America’s future as a Democracy is at stake and we do not have time for geriatric weaklings who obey in advance.
If you are mad as hell, call your Senator and call Chuck Schumer’s office and let them know. (202) 224-6542
It’s not over ‘till it’s over and it will never be over as long as we’re still breathing.
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