No. of Recommendations: 3
Democrats' refusal to pass the continuing resolution seems to represent a fundamental strategic error on their part.
It seems as if Schumer,concerned about being primaried by AOC, figured he had nothing to lose by keeping the government shut down, but that if he didn't shut it down, he would definitely lose the primary to AOC. So it's completely understandable why he would take the position that he has taken (and taking the rest of the Senate Democrats along with him, as Senate minority leader.) A politically very high risk tactic makes sense if it is perceived that the failure to take the risk will definitely have a negative outcome for the politician--as Schumer evidently believes, according to many pundits.
Strategically, and aside from Schumer's personal political future, it makes no sense at all. The Democrats backed the Republicans into a corner that they were comfortable staying in longer than the Democrats would be, and this should have been anticipated by the Democrats from the get-go.
All the Republicans have to do to "win" is to...wait. The only downside politically is if Schumer and the Dems can make the blame for the shutdown "stick" to the Republicans including Trump.
But if you even have people like Jake Tapper calling out the strategy, you have to wonder who is making Schumer's decisions for him.
Possibly the same people that were running the country during the Biden administration? (Obama et al.?)
