Congressional Democrats are in full revolt after Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) folded like a wet paper napkin and agreed to vote 'yes' on the House-passed government funding measure that effectively ends the shutdown fight as long as six more Democrats join Schumer and Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) who's a 'yes' as well.
As it stands, the Senate will vote this afternoon to overcome a filibuster of the House's continuing resolution, which funds federal agencies through Sept. 30 at current 2024 levels, but also includes approximately $13 billion in cuts to nondefense programs, and $6 billion in additional military spending. It's unclear what time the vote will occur, as both sides are working to secure an agreement to allow senators to finish before the midnight shutdown deadline and head home for a weeklong recess.
Schumer claims he has no choice, saying that a shutdown would be a "gift" to the Trump administration, and "the best distraction he could ask for from his awful agenda."
"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 via a government shutdown is a far worse option," he said Thursday on the Senate floor.
On Thursday night, Schumer went on MSNBC to pretend he was outraged, but just had to pass the bill (and call Republicans 'bastards.')
"It's much, much better not to be in the middle of a shutdown, which should divert people from the number one issue we have against these bastards, sorry, these people, which is not only all these cuts, but they're ruining democracy," he said.
President Trump congratulated Schumer, posting to Truth Social:
Democrats In Disarray
House Democrats huddled at their annual strategy retreat in Northern Virginia on Thursday, where they bombarded their Senate colleagues with calls and texts urging them to nuke the GOP bill.
That said, Democrats didn't have the cards…
House Democrats also oppose the spending cuts contained in the GOP bill, warning that they will erode critical public services (grifts), and that fact that the GOP bill excludes specific language to limit what Elon Musk and DOGE can do as the Trump administration continues to slash federal agencies and programs unchecked by Congress, The Hill reports.
But Schumer rejected their demands.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (a performance artist herself) led the charge against Senate Democrats, after House Democrats united against the GOP bill in the lower chamber.
"There is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal," said AOC. "And this is not just about progressive Democrats, This is across the board — the entire party."
"Just to see Senate Democrats even consider acquiescing Elon Musk — I think it is a huge slap in the face," she continued.
"It’s an awful decision," said Rep. Joseph Morelle (D-NY). "People are angry. We were almost to a person in unison [on the House vote]. … And a significant percentage of their caucus is voting to allow the Republicans to do whatever they want to do."
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"Right now, they are openly saying that they will take this money that is in this bill and then they will just appropriate it for whatever they want," said Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA).
"People have to know what Democrats stand up for, and they’ve got to see us fighting for them," she added. "And if we’re just the same, and we’re just going to enable Republicans to do what they’re doing, I think that’s obviously why people are frustrated."
Rep. Greg Casar (D-TX) – head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said that the GOP bill is specifically designed to let Trump and Musk keep 'plundering.'
"First and foremost, Senate Republicans should back down from screwing over their own constituents," he said. "And then second, Senate Democrats should do the same thing House Democrats did, which is fight for our constituents and block this bill."
"Democrats were elected to fight for working people, not put up a fake fight."
Speaking of fake fights…
It's all an act…
Rep. Thomas Massie says it's all an act… a "fake fight" in the House that "will become obvious when the Senate Democrats vote for this stinker."
As Punchbowl notes in its post-mortem…