Washington (AP) – Senate Democrats who have I struggled for months To counter President Donald Trump, if government funding does not take important medical concessions before it runs out on Wednesday, they settled on a bold, one-step strategy: votes to shut down government.
The plan has been heartily supported by many frustrated voters of basic and party activists, some of which have called on New York Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer I’ll resign After him in March We provided support for Republicans who kept the government open at the time.
“The ability of America to withstand this moment requires the Democrats to promote vibrant, shocking and public resistance,” wrote Katie Bethell, executive director of liberal grassroots group Moveon, in a letter to the party leader.
Minority playbooks include Wednesday after 12:01am. Shutdown begins And if the administration has a plan, it can start firing hundreds or even thousands of federal workers Layout by the White House this week.
How does that end? And what do the Democrats do?
I bet who will take responsibility
Publicly, Democrats believe Trump and Republicans will be held responsible if there is a shutdown, and ultimately they will be forced to compromise. That’s a dangerous bet.
Republicans hold a majority in both the House and Senate; Democrats argue Among other requests, the immediate extension of medical benefits, which expires at the end of the year.
The Democrats have also adopted a slightly resigned view on future choices.
Schumer said this month that the country will “get worsen” with or without closures. “Because Trump is lawless.” This is an uncertain endgame and a false face for Democrats, who have been vehemently opposed to the closures that have been incited by Republicans in the past.
The extended shutdown due to mass firing of federal workers will be a major escalation in the annual spending war between the two parties. The threat of government shutdowns, and potential political consequences, have generally scared both sides enough to ultimately bring everyone to the negotiation table.
“Funding the government is at least always Democrat fair,” said Sen. John Tune, Rs.D. refused to negotiate with Democrats unless they support a seven-week extension of government funds that cleared the House. “And here they’re driving us off that cliff.”
Latest Shutdowns – The longest in the country – 2018 – In the winter of 2019, when Trump was claiming federal dollars to build a US-Mexican border wall during his first term. He’s finished Back down 35 days later.
Reversal of the Democratic Party’s role
Schumer says things have changed since the March vote to fund the government through the summer.
Republicans A large tax bill has been passed It cuts Medicaid spending and Trump has repetitionIt’s blocked Federal expenditure previously approved by Congress. Democrats say Republicans have not reached out to negotiate, and they criticized Trump. cancel A White House meeting between Schumer of New York and House Democrat leader Hakem Jeffries.
It appears the president may have reversed the course. I’m planning to meet now Monday with Schumer, Jeffreys, Tune and House speaker Mike Johnson.
“This president is free. If he can’t sit down and negotiate with two Democrat leaders, he won’t become president,” Schumer said this week on PBS’s “News Hour.”
Jeffries said on Friday that Democrats “we don’t intend to get along.”
“I have my number. John Tune has my number,” he said. “The White House knows how to reach out.”
While most Senate Democrats are together in threatening shutdowns, some of the caucus may vote to keep the government open or try to sign a deal when deadlines arrive.
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) voted for Republicans in the test vote, while nine other Democrats voted for Schumer and Republicans in a resolution in March. Republicans need at least six additional Democrats to reach the 60 votes needed to pass.
Schumer has a lot to lose either way after he slams politically from liberal groups and many voters in the spring.
For the left, it’s time to fight
Anxious and frustrated Groundwell has been boiling down for months between Republicans’ foundations, attributed to the tough grip of Republicans against Washington and the growing perception that Democrats are. Too weak To fight back. With the federal government closing in at the moment, many activists and lawmakers are seeing rare points of leverage and the opportunity to remake the party’s image with voters.
“It would be naive to suggest that all the trust that Democratic elected officials have lost and wasted can be regained in a moment or a single fight,” said Joel Payne, Director of Communications at Moveon. “But I think it really helps me a lot to start turning that relationship around.”
The Sydney Registration Progressive Change Campaign Committee’s Registration Committee said Democrats can’t afford to give in again, even if that means the administration is running a mass federal layoff.
The register said votes with Republicans would be like giving “schoolyard bullies money for lunch.”
“What bullies are trying to do is they try to keep stealing from you,” she said.
Sen. Cory Booker (DN.J.) made similar analogies about Trump and his democratic efforts to expand the expanded healthcare subsidies that expire on January 1. Democrats say it’s time for action.
“I’m not afraid of (Trump), I’m not afraid of his threat. I know this will be a tough battle and an ugly battle,” Booker said this month. “But this is one battle and that’s where I stand.”
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Associated Press writers Bill Barrow in Atlanta and Joey Capelletti and Lisa Mascaro in Washington contributed to the report.
