They Brought the Wrong Weapons to the Gunfight
Those eight Senate Democrats breaking ranks to end the government shutdown thought they were doing something noble, taking a deal to forestall a Donald Trump attack on hunger for the vulnerable and cancellation of flights home for Thanksgiving.
Not only did this group bring the wrong weapons to a gunfight, but they also voluntarily bailed before the showdown. What did they think they were doing in shutting down the government if they weren’t prepared to follow through? How has caving at this point left anyone in a better position than they faced seven weeks ago? Where is the evidence that Trump and congressional Republicans have changed their views on health care – or even on food aid? Won’t we face this whole confrontation again at the end of January?
In cold political terms, what their nobility has done is to sign a surrender that leaves Senate Democrats a bunch of empty suits blowing in the breeze of the Trump juggernaut to autonomy.
If these Democrats cannot stand the political heat to defend access of millions to health care, what do they think will stop Trump’s deportations, militarization of US streets, illegal tax changes, prosecutions of political enemies, halt of services for veterans and the disabled, abandonment of climate change and pollution enforcement or erosion of public education? How about when Trump indicts a sitting Sen, Adam Schiff, D-Ca., for opposing him?
What Trump – and Republican congressional leaders – learned anew is that Democrats won’t stand together and fight when the going gets ugly. Indeed, if Trump can make everyone’s lives miserable enough, Democratic opposition will fade in response. Bullies only get stronger through capitulation. They don’t suddenly adopt more humanitarian attitudes of kindness.
What Democrats may have learned is that they need to decide who they are and what principles are going to matter. There is no law that can keep a determined Trump from using cruelty to Americans to get his way. As now apparent, there is only pressure – or not.
The Turnabout
The timing alone was remarkable. In only a few days, we have seen the Democratic opposition to Trump go from fire-breathing exultation over powerful election wins across the country drawing record numbers of voters shrink to a meek, weak whisper. On Tuesday night, Democrats everywhere were shouting that they were back, that they were fighting fire with fire, that Trump and MAGA ought to find themselves on the run.
By the weekend, we saw Senate Democrats unable to stand unified, and eight senators were more than enough to settle for a temporary funding of food stamps and a promise to hold what will be a losing vote on health care in a month. What makes anyone believe that the health care vote even will be scheduled, since Trump opposes even talking about continued support for the popular Obamacare coverage?
Abandoning the shutdown has left the seven million Americans who turned out for “No Kings” rallies scratching their heads. So too all those new, young voters who turned out for elections about fighting back, may even the select federal court judges who have knocked down Trump arguments over illegal moves to withhold food stamp aid.
While the Senate dithered, the federal Appeals Court in Boston decided Sunday night to uphold a lower court ruling telling the Trump administration to pay the full costs of SNAP food aid for the month of November, but rulings elsewhere have differed.
To see the Democratic Senate filibuster wall crash just invites a politically ruthless Trump administration to push through bills that will slant election results, that will further undercut rights, that will ignore congressional votes on spending or taxes.
If access to health care is not the singular issue, what gives us any confidence that protection of transgender rights or free speech issues will fare any better?
One unintended consequence will be the reconvening of the House – and the delayed seating of Adelita Grijalva as the last vote needed to force a discharge petition for release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Even as the outcome on Sunday night’s vote was clear, there were questions about Sen. Chuck Schumer’s leadership among Democrats. That should be the least of any current concerns. Whether Schumer or anyone else, let’s hope no one starts asking for political contributions to senators who don’t know when they are in a fight.
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