Respectfully disagree. I’m not an optimist by nature. But we knew what the terrible outcome would be breaking the filibuster; allowing the government to shut down was an unknown that I was willing to take a chance on. Maybe the GOP would have felt pressure to negotiate, maybe not. Yes, Musk and Trump would continue to destroy our civil work force and close services/programs but is that ultimately worse than the war of attrition we’re going through now with an administration that openly defies court orders? Sometimes you make a decision because it’s important for morale and to unite and organize people who are ready for a strong resistance; now we’ve got people (me included) who are mad at both parties and don’t trust Dem leadership, as it were. What about the past two months inspires confidence in their ability to marshal a fighting force? People feel like they’re abandoned and have to seek disjointed leadership elsewhere.
Hello Charlie, I fired off a letter to Chuck Schumer's office asking him, why are you afraid ? We are not. trump is burning us down every single day. However, when I saw the title of your post, Schumer is not wrong, I thought ok, Charlie what have you got ? I must say, I can see your point. But, trump and musk are already shuttering agencies full steam ahead without Congressional approval. I guess we will all wait and see if that was the right call. Thank you Charlie for your insights.
Charlie, you have great perspective on this and I appreciate the rationale here. I’m with you (now) on this and agree Schumer did the right thing. You summed it up perfectly. We definitely do need fresh leadership, but I also appreciate the experience and perspective Schumer has. As they say, it’s complicated, but I’m willing to give his instincts here the benefit of the doubt. I get no satisfaction in the modern political bloodsport of slinging arrows when reps like Senator Schumer is the one engaging directly in the fight, not me. Too many of us have become armchair warriors criticizing from the comfort of the skybox.
Tough call, but this way, Trump alone owns all the bad economic news to come. Sure, he’ll blame Democrats anyway, but it will ring hollow for everyone affected by Trumpflation and the Trumpcession.
Charlie, thank you for the Tennyson. Reminds me of a couple other heroes who opted to charge unprepared into a fight for their lives: Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton. Their gallantry and heroism are remembered and celebrated. Their woeful lack of thought and preparation are not.
This supports the group who advocates, “… don’t shoot, let ‘em burn!” A sober assessment Charlie, I needed this to dissipate my fury. Excuse me while I fetch a stick and a bag of marshmallows.
The negative consequences of any shutdown are largely the same (despite the current catastrophizing about how this shutdown could be meaningfully different. Arguably, public outcry, not sadistically partisan presidential designs, is the ultimate detrminant of when and how shutdowns end). What is surrendered in order to avoid a shutdown varies. In this instance, what was surrendered was, apparently, any say in the making of legislation in the senate on the part of its Democratic contingent, which seems, to me, clearly way too much to surrender.
Moreover, I cannot believe vulnerable House Dems went as far out on a limb as they did to achieve the unified message "We must reject this" WITHOUT a commitment from Jeffries, based on a commitment made to Jeffries by Schumer. It's inconcievable to me they thought their risk taking might go unrewarded, in fact be punished, by senate Democrats not upholding their end. The only rational "explanation" I can construct is that Schumer simply, as has so often happened, lost his nerve, and went right to work calling in chits from the rest of "leadership", then group-rationalizing, and plotting PR strategy for, their subsequent betrayal.
It takes an awful lot to rouse Democratic voters, as we saw by the disastrous election results last year.
We spend more time attacking each other for differing views and varying degrees of ideologically purity than we spend attacking America’s enemies.
So many on the left attacked Hillary and Kamala right up until election day, and that effectively handed Trump victory both times.
Maybe, instead of constantly trying to herd cats into some kind of organized movement, Schumer inadvertently falling on his sword was just what we needed to coalesce into effective opposition AND install some young, aggressive leaders.
I see AOC is joining Bernie in his tour against oligarchy.
Charlie - I reluctantly agree with you. The 2 megalomaniacs don't care if the govt shuts down. Also, people would be hurt more than they already are. And the right-wing noise machine would blame Democrats. The same idiots that voted for Trump would believe it's the Dems fault.
This was a very helpful explanation, Charlie. Thank you! As others have said, you’ve talked at least some of us off the ledge. But I do agree when you say Schumer isn’t the right person for this moment. I appreciate him so much, but we need a different personality with a gift for messaging. An editorial in the NYT missed the mark. Most people will never read it.
thank you for all these ideas we the public are facing a classic tragical situation no good on either side of the present arguments we are having I'm with Mr. Sykes i couldn't have said it better
Until Lump himself is shut down by any legal means necessary, we'll be nibbling on this nasty "sandwich" for the next four years. Daily.
Respectfully disagree. I’m not an optimist by nature. But we knew what the terrible outcome would be breaking the filibuster; allowing the government to shut down was an unknown that I was willing to take a chance on. Maybe the GOP would have felt pressure to negotiate, maybe not. Yes, Musk and Trump would continue to destroy our civil work force and close services/programs but is that ultimately worse than the war of attrition we’re going through now with an administration that openly defies court orders? Sometimes you make a decision because it’s important for morale and to unite and organize people who are ready for a strong resistance; now we’ve got people (me included) who are mad at both parties and don’t trust Dem leadership, as it were. What about the past two months inspires confidence in their ability to marshal a fighting force? People feel like they’re abandoned and have to seek disjointed leadership elsewhere.
Hello Charlie, I fired off a letter to Chuck Schumer's office asking him, why are you afraid ? We are not. trump is burning us down every single day. However, when I saw the title of your post, Schumer is not wrong, I thought ok, Charlie what have you got ? I must say, I can see your point. But, trump and musk are already shuttering agencies full steam ahead without Congressional approval. I guess we will all wait and see if that was the right call. Thank you Charlie for your insights.
For the first time in years, I disagree with you, exceptionally so. Maybe you can join the gathering on the Mall April 5th?
Charlie, you have great perspective on this and I appreciate the rationale here. I’m with you (now) on this and agree Schumer did the right thing. You summed it up perfectly. We definitely do need fresh leadership, but I also appreciate the experience and perspective Schumer has. As they say, it’s complicated, but I’m willing to give his instincts here the benefit of the doubt. I get no satisfaction in the modern political bloodsport of slinging arrows when reps like Senator Schumer is the one engaging directly in the fight, not me. Too many of us have become armchair warriors criticizing from the comfort of the skybox.
And this is more evidence of how it is already over. Anericans, white americans, can’t see.
https://open.substack.com/pub/betomedia/p/it-cant-be-chuck-schumer?r=58mj1v&utm_medium=ios
Tough call, but this way, Trump alone owns all the bad economic news to come. Sure, he’ll blame Democrats anyway, but it will ring hollow for everyone affected by Trumpflation and the Trumpcession.
Charlie, thank you for the Tennyson. Reminds me of a couple other heroes who opted to charge unprepared into a fight for their lives: Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton. Their gallantry and heroism are remembered and celebrated. Their woeful lack of thought and preparation are not.
This supports the group who advocates, “… don’t shoot, let ‘em burn!” A sober assessment Charlie, I needed this to dissipate my fury. Excuse me while I fetch a stick and a bag of marshmallows.
Thank you - I was concerned that a shutdown would have only accelerated their dismantling of our government. I think Schumer was right
The negative consequences of any shutdown are largely the same (despite the current catastrophizing about how this shutdown could be meaningfully different. Arguably, public outcry, not sadistically partisan presidential designs, is the ultimate detrminant of when and how shutdowns end). What is surrendered in order to avoid a shutdown varies. In this instance, what was surrendered was, apparently, any say in the making of legislation in the senate on the part of its Democratic contingent, which seems, to me, clearly way too much to surrender.
Moreover, I cannot believe vulnerable House Dems went as far out on a limb as they did to achieve the unified message "We must reject this" WITHOUT a commitment from Jeffries, based on a commitment made to Jeffries by Schumer. It's inconcievable to me they thought their risk taking might go unrewarded, in fact be punished, by senate Democrats not upholding their end. The only rational "explanation" I can construct is that Schumer simply, as has so often happened, lost his nerve, and went right to work calling in chits from the rest of "leadership", then group-rationalizing, and plotting PR strategy for, their subsequent betrayal.
Maybe Schumer did us a favor, intentional or not.
It takes an awful lot to rouse Democratic voters, as we saw by the disastrous election results last year.
We spend more time attacking each other for differing views and varying degrees of ideologically purity than we spend attacking America’s enemies.
So many on the left attacked Hillary and Kamala right up until election day, and that effectively handed Trump victory both times.
Maybe, instead of constantly trying to herd cats into some kind of organized movement, Schumer inadvertently falling on his sword was just what we needed to coalesce into effective opposition AND install some young, aggressive leaders.
I see AOC is joining Bernie in his tour against oligarchy.
That's a fine start. A very fine start.
Charlie - I reluctantly agree with you. The 2 megalomaniacs don't care if the govt shuts down. Also, people would be hurt more than they already are. And the right-wing noise machine would blame Democrats. The same idiots that voted for Trump would believe it's the Dems fault.
This was a very helpful explanation, Charlie. Thank you! As others have said, you’ve talked at least some of us off the ledge. But I do agree when you say Schumer isn’t the right person for this moment. I appreciate him so much, but we need a different personality with a gift for messaging. An editorial in the NYT missed the mark. Most people will never read it.
thank you for all these ideas we the public are facing a classic tragical situation no good on either side of the present arguments we are having I'm with Mr. Sykes i couldn't have said it better