Will Democrats Shut Down the Government?

Completely Adrift and Devoid of Party Unity, Senate Democrats Are Charting a Reckless Course That Could End in a Government Shutdown

SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE THREATENING A SHUTDOWN BECAUSE REPUBLICANS ARE MAKING GOOD ON THEIR CAMPAIGN PROMISES

“The early days of the second Donald Trump era in Washington is a trying time for Democrats, especially party leaders. Democrats are out of power, Trump is dominating the airwaves and his polls are good.” (Punchbowl News AM: A deep-dive on Dems: Is the leadership doing enough? – 2/11/25)

“The March 14 government funding deadline is becoming a crucial test of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer's (D-N.Y.) toughness in the opposition.”

Anticipating a government funding bill that doesn’t include far-left priorities, “Schumer is indicating he's willing to stand in the way and plunge into a government shutdown.”
“‘Senate Democrats will use our votes to help steady the ship for the American people,’ Schumer said Monday, in a clear warning to Republicans.” (Axios: The big bet behind Chuck Schumer's shutdown warning – 2/10/25)

“Some Democrats have begun talking about withholding votes on a spending deal as leverage, even if it shuts down the government, when the next deadline comes up in mid-March.” (The Wall Street Journal: Democrats in Disarray as Trump Pushes Through Agenda – 2/11/25)

“A growing number of Democratic lawmakers think the March 14 deadline for funding the government gives them the best leverage…” (The Hill: Democrats step up talk about using shutdown as leverage against Trump – 2/11/25)

“Democrats would be embracing a tactic they’ve long shunned: holding the government hostage until they get what they want.” (Politico: The Shutdown Fight That Could Play Right Into Trump’s Hands – 2/10/25)

Democrat Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) is already making excuses for a shutdown: “I never support a shutdown. I can see where it could happen in this situation. It’s an extreme situation.” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats threaten government shutdown as leverage against Trump – 2/11/25)

Sen. Andy Kim (D-N.J.) is threatening to shut down the government because President Trump is taking actions he disagrees with: “If we have to take steps to be able to hold them accountable, use the leverage that we have to force it, I cannot support efforts that will continue this lawlessness that we’re seeing when it comes to this administration’s actions.” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats threaten government shutdown as leverage against Trump – 2/11/25)

BUT DEMOCRATS HAVE A HISTORY OF WARNING AGAINST SHUTDOWNS WHEN THEY’RE IN CHARGE. IF THEY CARE SO MUCH ABOUT SHUTDOWNS, WHY ARE THEY THREATENING ONE NOW?

Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has said that shutdowns “mean chaos and pain and needless heartache,” cause families’ lives to “be needlessly upended,” and “would hurt Americans across this country.” (Chuck Schumer: Tweet – 9/23/24; Tweet – 9/24/24; Tweet – 12/12/24)

“Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), the Senate Democratic whip, last year ahead of a fall spending showdown said the fact that they’ve ‘come to the brink so many times is really embarrassing to Congress.’” (The Washington Examiner: Democrats threaten government shutdown as leverage against Trump – 2/11/25)

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) said, during a shutdown, “national security & essential gov't operations are at stake.” (Sen. Jeanne Shaheen: Tweet – 12/15/22)

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said that those who shut down the government “want preschool programs to close” and “want soldiers to go unpaid.” (Chris Murphy: Tweet – 9/27/23)

Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) called shutdown threats “constant chaos” and said, “Shutdowns aren’t victimless crimes…” Warner also said shutdowns “are as devastating as they are stupid.” (Mark Warner: Tweet – 12/21/24; Tweet – 3/22/24)

Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) said that shutdowns leave “men and women in uniform working without pay, farmers without critical support, and children without the nutrition programs they rely on.” (Sen. Tammy Baldwin: Tweet – 12/21/24)

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) said shutdown threats are “partisan games” and examples of “political brinkmanship that centers politicians and not the people.” (Senator Reverend Raphael Warnock: Tweet – 12/21/24)

Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) once decried “working to undermine the economic security for our entire government with more shutdown talk.” (Martin Heinrich: Tweet – 3/18/24)

Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) was clear about the results of a shutdown: “Even a partial shutdown could disrupt supply chains, hurt small businesses, risk travel delays, and increase food prices for millions of Americans.” (Senator Mazie Hirono: Tweet – 2/27/24)

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: THE FRUITLESS SCHUMER SHUTDOWN OF 2018 LEFT DEMOCRATS “CRYING UNCLE”

“When [Schumer] and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened to use government funding as leverage to win protections for undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. and to halt border wall construction back in 2018, they backed down in a matter of days.” (Politico: The Shutdown Fight That Could Play Right Into Trump’s Hands – 2/10/25)

“The turn of events Monday marked the most serious cracks in the unity Schumer has painstakingly built within his caucus since he became Democratic leader a year ago… Schumer is now under attack from the left and confronting pointed criticism of his negotiating skill.”

“His performance resulted in a Democratic-led shutdown…” (Politico: Schumer’s shutdown performance sparks unrest in his ranks – 1/22/18)

“The insistence by Democrats that they came out ahead weren’t enough to tamp down furor from their liberal base. And Republicans were gleeful that Democratic senators had caved without any substantive wins.” (Politico: Congress votes to end shutdown – 1/22/18)

“Schumer's strategy of shutting down the government to force President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans into locking in an immigration deal had failed in epic fashion.”

“Not only did Schumer come up short of getting a deal to prevent the deportation of ‘Dreamers’ — people brought to this country illegally when they were children — but he divided a Democratic Party that had previously been unified. And he let Trump and McConnell walk away from it all as the clear winners on politics, policy and strategy.” (NBC News: Schumer's rare double-buckle on the shutdown infuriates Democrats on the left – 1/22/18)

“But let’s be clear: This isn’t what Democrats originally wanted when the shutdown started. Their base wanted a vote on an immigration bill. Democrats wanted firm commitments from the House and the president that the Senate bill would move through the other chamber and be signed by Trump. They didn’t get anything close to that.” (Vox: Senate Democrats’ decision to reopen the government, explained – 1/22/18)

“Having vowed on a Friday not to agree to a funding bill until Congress had a bipartisan agreement to protect the so-called Dreamers (immigrants who came to America illegally as children), by Monday he was crying uncle. By Tuesday angry protesters appeared outside his Brooklyn apartment building, shouting that Mr. Schumer had sold the Dreamers out.”

“In short, Mr. Schumer’s hard-line start and surrender finish produced the worst of all worlds.” (The Wall Street Journal: Poor Chuck Schumer – 1/29/18)

“During a House Democratic Caucus meeting, Congressional Black Caucus Chairman Cedric Richmond of Louisiana blamed Schumer for making the whole debate about immigration, according to one Democrat in the meeting, saying about Senate Democrats, ‘They are getting their butts kicked.’” (CNN: Progressives fume after vote to end government shutdown – 1/23/18)

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