What was Schumer's strategy here? Not now but 2 months ago? Was there any? Did he warn GOP about poison pills? Did he discuss with his colleagues? Are the yes senators just complying with no pushback? This seems very weak when you have some leverage.
Agreed. The Dems already have low approvals with the general public as well as the base. They need to seem like they are at least resisting something. Sure it may make matters worse, but things are already pretty bleak, as you said perhaps this will bring things to a head sooner.
Agree with Josh. If the Dems had stuck by organized labor (which necessarily meant anti-globalization) in the 1990's, they may have lost initially, but that would have paid dividends to this day.
Then the corporate media was signalling that unionized workers were greedy, lazy and responsible for the high cost of products. The Dem part, then as now, let the public's mistaken impressions drive their policy positions.
Personally, we canceled a trip to get on a plane to visit National Park sites in the Southwestern US, due to potential government shutdown. But with no opposition to the destruction, we’re acquiescing to dictatorship anyway
Senators: use the power you have while you have it. Stop this madness!
They need to show their constituents they are willing to risk it all to stop musk and Trump from making tax cuts and erasing Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security
If they vote yes, along with their lack of doing ANYTHING to stop Trump, I have no other choice but to believe that they are part of the coup and want this country to be a dictatorship! Very sad reality….
How Dems should message:
1. This was not clean CR.
2. This blesses their continued slashing--the stuff the people are hating.
3. Rs could have passed clean CR.
4. Is such a neutered gov't really what you want?
If dems vote for this, the gop will claim dems put in whatever terrible thing is in the bill or forced them to leave out something.
"Sorry, we didn't end tax on ot & tips bc dems refused to vote for that." It won't matter if that belongs in this bill. Most people don't have time to look it up.
Tipping point. IMHO we are there now & the best example of that is the poison pill CR prohibiting a vote on reigning in dt on the tariffs because it gives him tariff immunity & increases his power of extortion. Limiting dt's power is essential before despair & defeat sets in to D voters.
Again assert 30 to 60 day truly clean CR thereby keeping 15 day ability to stop dt on his tariffs & his ability to choose winners & losers w/ US exemptions while business world is nervous. Stop steam roller now shutdown can derail him creating oligarchs give voters a reason to fight, fight fight
Should have stated the ability to act alone on tariffs is dt being able to declare a "national emergency" & CR provision ending 15 day Congressional action. See provision w/i following post
Also the basic job of the opposition party is to be the loyal OPPOSITION. Republicans consistently fail on the loyal part - they will burn down the country for the slightest political gain. But if Democrats fail on the opposition part then what the fuck are they doing there!?!? That's their job.
I agree with you and like your analogy. It shouldn’t be too hard to explain WHY a CR that inexcusably and needlessly cuts veterans benefits and funding for other things that are life and death matters is unacceptable. We should demand, at the minimum, a truly clean CR without such deadly garbage.
I agree, that SHOULD be the bedrock demand that meets the moment where people are rightfully horrified at the destruction of their government. However as Mr. Marshall says we need to PUBLICLY FIGHT for it loudly and clearly which is what people want. ✊🏼.
What this ABOMINATION is is most assuredly NOT a clean CR even though the Rethuglicans are lying that it is. My point is to call them out on the lie and explain why this is anything but. Put the onus on them to defend the bullshit contained therein by highlighting its many odious provisions.
Thank you for the excellent overview!
A NO vote by Senate Ds is the only viable way forward.
It will suck, they will get blamed for whatever but yeah, that will happen anyway.
Democrats will gain a much larger following, if they do let the government shut down. They have been wrong so many times by deciding the play safe. Look at what's happened with Tariffs when Mexico and Canada pushed back - TRUMP CAVED!!!!
Please fight, we cannot let them get away every time.
If Dem senators help Republicans pass a CR they would be enabling Musk to continue wreaking havoc. This is their one shot at maybe stopping the wrecking ball. It still might not work, but this is all they’ve got. Help them and you are collaborator.
Part of me ALMOST hopes they do roll over. The party clearly needs to be purged of its loser infestation, and it would be convenient if a few of them posted a big "KICK ME" sign on their backs to make the primary challenge easier.
Yeah the endless poll/blame watching needs to stop. There isn't an election and you just lost one on that very strategy! Do something that inspires for a change, rather than what polls might tell you. If you were afraid to get blamed for something you shouldn't have run for office.
Agree. The situation is somewhat like Canada and Europe are facing. No alternative looks good. Standing up and facing risks is really the best choice right now. It won't be easy, bur there is no other good choice. Stop thinking about 2026.
What unites all of these arguments for Democrats to support this dirty CR is fear. Their fear of getting blamed and their fear of not being effective messengers.
as one Senator on NPR put it this morning, Trump/Musk are already shutting down the government with their cuts/layoffs. So let the government shut down. The risk is too great to allow him any more power.
This is a thoughtful and excellent explanation why Dems need to stand their ground on the continuing resolution.
If they do it, they need to have their talking points ready. Get in front of the narrative, and make sure everyone knows why this is happening.
The uninformed voters who got us into this mess, know nothing about how legislation is passed. They only care about how they "feel", and they feel pretty bad now. Ds would be fools not to make them feel a lot worse by voting for the CR. They will simply blame whoever is in power.
It’s never been about efficiency. It’s tearing down the US strength, security, economy, health and education for the benefit of the tinpot war criminal and allow the uberrich to pick up assets cheap in a recession.
Tariffs are to extort companies for bribes and break alliances.
Dem voters are pissed and want Dem pols to do more. If they fail to oppose here, the party may explode. "Safe" D's will find they are not safe anymore.
There is no safe play. The risks of not opposing outweigh the alternative. Courage is what we need to see.
If Ds vote yes, we are completely on our own. They are not new to this kind of threat. It’s bewildering they always act like it is their first time. If the CR passes w Dem support, SSA/Medicare will fold. People will literally starve. Dems will be complicit.
Not only starve.There will be epidemics of resistant TB, Ebola, Influenza, COVID, AIDS,etc.We already have measles spreading.The vaccines will be difficult to get.The CDC group that meets annually to predict and prepare for the flu vaccine, has had two meetings cancelled.This is very time sensitive.
Comments
Senators: use the power you have while you have it. Stop this madness!
1. This was not clean CR.
2. This blesses their continued slashing--the stuff the people are hating.
3. Rs could have passed clean CR.
4. Is such a neutered gov't really what you want?
"Sorry, we didn't end tax on ot & tips bc dems refused to vote for that." It won't matter if that belongs in this bill. Most people don't have time to look it up.
This choice, which I will not call a strategy, is horrifyingly similar to the choices that helped sink VP Harris' campaign. Have they learned nothing?
https://bsky.app/profile/fritschner.bsky.social/post/3lk4eyqy73k2z
The Carville “play dead” strategy makes sense when it’s the only thing you’re really good at.
@schumer.senate.gov @ossoff.bsky.social @duckworth.senate.gov @warren.senate.gov @wyden.senate.gov @durbin.senate.gov @booker.senate.gov
A NO vote by Senate Ds is the only viable way forward.
It will suck, they will get blamed for whatever but yeah, that will happen anyway.
A YES vote gets them nothing, at best.
Please fight, we cannot let them get away every time.
There’s no point stringing this out. Bring the Trump fiasco to fruit now rather than a few months from now.
Let the voters see what they’ve done.
Not one Democratic vote for this mess.
If they do it, they need to have their talking points ready. Get in front of the narrative, and make sure everyone knows why this is happening.
Tariffs are to extort companies for bribes and break alliances.
Dem voters are pissed and want Dem pols to do more. If they fail to oppose here, the party may explode. "Safe" D's will find they are not safe anymore.
There is no safe play. The risks of not opposing outweigh the alternative. Courage is what we need to see.