I don’t really know whether a prolonged shutdown would have gotten them anything better… say they shut down and hold out until the 5th of March. Then what? The DREAMers still get deported, and the govt’s been shutdown for 6 weeks, both of which are things the Republicans either want or don’t give a crap about anyway. What incentives do the Republicans have to concede anything to the Democrats?
1 Like
If they really cared they could have just changed the Senate rules to defeat the filibuster just like Trump has been begging them to for almost a year now.
I dunno, this strange thing called bipartisanism and cooperation? Or, you know, acting like fucking adults rather than some caucus of Veruca Salts.
2 Likes
What leverage do the Democrats have OTHER than paralyzing the Republican-controlled Federal government? Clearly the GOP wasn’t enjoying the shutdown either, it was just a matter of who was going to blink first. Now we have the answer.
5 Likes
14 Likes
There’s no bipartisanship and cooperation here. The Repubs would have waited some nominal amount of time and nuked the filibuster when the polls said they wouldn’t get any backlash from doing so.
They weren’t enjoying it, but they could wait it out. The Dems just look like an obstructionist minority in the eyes of their constituents; most of the Senate seats up for grabs this fall are held by Democrats. Sorry, I just don’t see how they could have come out of this ahead.
3 Likes
This is what I don’t get with complaints about Ds folding or making concessions. They are in the minority. It sucks for DACAs but Ds have no leverage and being seen as going to the mat for illegal immigrants isn’t going to play well in November. November could be huge for Ds, if they don’t blow it by overplaying a lousy hand. Don’t confuse low Trump ratings for having actual leverage.
5 Likes
I wish people would understand just how ridiculous this sounds.
12 Likes
I realize that this may be an unpopular opinion, but this temporary deal got the CHIP program funded for 6 more years, which is a very good thing. Additionally, if the the TGOP reneges on their promise to resolve the Dreamer issue in 3 weeks, another shutdown will be triggered and the Democrats will have lost no ground, and in fact will have taken the CHIP bargaining item off of the table.
I’m inclined to agree with Eric Loomis on LGM that this was a strategic win for the Dems.
http://www.lawyersgunsmoneyblog.com/2018/01/the-deal-2
10 Likes
Sorry, I should have put that in quotes, but that’s exactly what people would say.
2 Likes
Vox as ever provides some voice of reason here (which does jive with some of the points @cheem was making):
8 Likes
Seeing mitch McConnell smile makes me fear that somewhere, somehow another human right has been squashed.
13 Likes
that’s more true than i think everybody knows.
https://www.immigrantjustice.org/eliminate-detention-bed-quota
[the] quota refers to language in congressional appropriations law that requires ICE to maintain 34,000 immigration detention beds on a daily basis. This quota has steadily increased since its establishment in 2009. No other law enforcement agency is subject to a statutory quota on the number of individuals to hold in detention.
4 Likes
I hope that it does turn out to be a ‘strategic win,’ as you say. The other side got to avoid the spectacle of a State of the Union address being given with the government shut down (would this pres even care?), and also delaying by a couple years the introduction of several ACA related taxes. And Schumer should still be raked over the coals, tactically speaking, because we need him to go into the next round with the will to go all in.
i live paycheck-to enough that i honestly feel some relief that I’ll get my refund in time to cover my property so that i won’t have to pay a penalty.
selfish? yep… but it’s only about the timing. shut this shit down in 3 weeks.
So much bullshit. The Democrats didn’t filibuster this time, just like they didn’t filibuster the Obamacare repeal. The Republicans simply couldn’t get their act together. Unless there’s a filibuster, Republicans could pass anything they like, 51-49, except they can’t. McConnell can’t even whip the votes in the Senate, and in the House, Ryan has given up all power to the neofascist wing of the party. And just to make things interesting, Trump’s opinion changes whenever somebody whispers in his ear.
But sure, why not make this about Democrats.
8 Likes
I didn’t know CHIP was extended 6 years so for three weeks of government funding that’s not as bad as I assumed. If they can push what legislation is addressed three weeks at a time it won’t be so bad, but I severely doubt they could do anything like that and just didn’t want the news cycle to keep talking obstruction.
5 Likes
1 Like
I agree, and the Dems better get their PR wing working overtime to humanize dreamers now. The Goose-steppers are in overdrive we need anything other than citizenship to look like the short-sighted, racist thinking it is.
1 Like
I bought this up a while ago when the same thing happened to me. Instead of fixing it, I was blamed for “using the feature wrong.” So, really it’s your own fault, you silly ignorant user, you.
1 Like
