The Democrats’ Shutdown Disaster End in Humiliating Defeat
Senate Democrats just wrapped up one of the most embarrassing political retreats in recent memory. After forcing a 40-day government shutdown, eight members of their caucus finally broke ranks Sunday to hand Republicans the exact deal they had on the table back in early October. No concessions. No wins. Just 40 days of pointless disruption followed by total surrender.
The final vote was 60-40, with Republicans held the line while Democrats cracked. The eight defectors gave Republicans the votes they needed to advance a continuing resolution that extends government funding through January 30 and includes nothing but the basics: back pay for furloughed workers and food assistance funding through next fall. That’s it.
Democrats shut down the government demanding Republicans extend expiring Obamacare subsidies and reopen the loophole that ended free healthcare coverage for illegal immigrants. They got neither. President Trump and Republican leaders had already planned to address the Obamacare subsidies separately, with the goal of reducing them and preventing abuse. The only thing Democrats walked away with was a promise of a future vote on those subsidies in December, which both parties admit will almost certainly fail.
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) called this weeks ago. He predicted Schumer would eventually get six to eight Democrats to vote for reopening the government while he voted against it to save face. Kennedy even warned that if it looked contrived, Schumer would be in serious trouble. That’s exactly what happened, and now Schumer is dealing with the fallout.
The seven Democrats and one Independent who voted to end the shutdown were Sens. Angus King, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Jacky Rosen, Tim Kaine, and Dick Durbin. All eight have political cover to buck leadership. Durbin and Shaheen are retiring, and the rest won’t face voters again until 2028 or 2030. That timing gave them room to do what Schumer couldn’t force the rest of his caucus to do publicly: admit defeat.
Progressive activists and Democratic politicians went ballistic on social media. Harry Sisson called it “absolutely pathetic” and accused Democrats of surrendering to a “wannabe dictator.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom summed up his thoughts in one word: “Pathetic.” Rep. Ro Khanna said Schumer “should be replaced” for failing to protect Obamacare and control healthcare costs. Bernie Sanders posted a video saying it was “a very, very bad vote.”
Within hours, Democrats and activists were demanding Schumer resign as Senate Democratic leader.
Joseph Geevarghese, executive director of Our Revolution, didn’t hold back. “If he secretly backed this surrender and voted ‘no’ to save face, he’s a liar. If he couldn’t keep his caucus in line, he’s inept. Either way, he’s proven incapable of leading the fight to prevent health care premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. The country can’t afford his failed leadership any longer.”
Khanna told CBS News, “it’s time for him to be replaced. He is not meeting the moment.” Rep. Seth Moulton piled on, writing that “Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership.”
Democrats agreed to the same continuing resolution Republicans offered before the shutdown even started. They gained nothing from shutting down the government for 40 days. Republicans held their ground, and Democrats folded.
Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with the Democrats, admitted that the party’s strategy on the government shutdown had completely backfired. He said Democrats went into it with two main objectives: to challenge President Trump and to secure an extension of the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. But as King conceded, they were achieving neither.
“The problem was the shutdown wasn’t accomplishing either goals. And there was practically—it was zero likelihood that it was going to. In terms of standing up to Donald Trump, the shutdown actually gave him more power, exhibit A being what he’s done with SNAP and SNAP benefits across the country,” King said. “Standing up to Donald Trump didn’t work. It actually gave him more power.”
Now Schumer is catching heat from both sides: Republicans who beat him and leftists who think he sold them out. It’s a complete political disaster for the Democrats, and they only have themselves to blame.