Subject: Re: Joe Walsh
No, the Democrats weren't trying to get the Republicans to change anything. The Dems deliberately adopted an absurd unprincipled negotiating position that explicitly focused on blackmailing or leveraging the suffering of their own constituents. The Democrats never had any expectation that it would be anything other than political theater.

The Republicans were absolutely correct in taking the ethical position of refusing to be blackmailed. They clearly communicated that highly ethical position and didn't budge.

King Schumer's position collapsed and he lost his caucus because he was negotiating in a fundamentally unethical manner. The public recognized it, much if the media recognized it, and ultimately 8 Democrat senators got fed up with being forced into an untenable position of being unethical, blackmailing negotiators.

The level of delusion bu some here is remarkable.