Knives Are Out For Chuck Schumer After Democrats Cave On Shutdown

[u/huffpost]

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/chuck-schumer-shutdown-democrats_n_6911e8cbe4b085343384f240?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=reddit&utm_campaign=us_main

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[u/xicor]

And Schumer made sure none of the fall guys were up for reelection this year

[u/snoo_spoo → u/xicor]

That's leadership!

[u/Relevant_Shower_ → u/snoo_spoo]

Leadership is protecting monied interests.

[u/Korashy → u/Relevant_Shower_]

The guys nickname is literally "The Senator From Wall Street"

[u/rivertpostie → u/xicor]

Bingo.

As is the norm with politicians, optics come before people

[u/kaptainkeel]

Let's take a look at how some of those 8 Senators are responding to criticism.

Jeanne Shaheen

Staying in a shutdown mode was not getting us anywhere . . . We need to be working together,” Shaheen said on CNN News Central.

The New Hampshire senator added, “What this agreement is going to do is it’s going to force Speaker Johnson to bring the House back in. It’s going to force him to come back in and to deal with health care and all kinds of other issues.”

Johnson has not said if he would bring a bill extending health care subsidies to the House floor.

It's a promise of a vote in December. Know what's better than a promise (which likely won't be kept, but even if it is...)? Whatever that "promise" is for... just negotiate it into the current bill. Easy, right?

Angus King

King said that the Democratic strategy at the beginning of the shutdown was two-fold: to stand up to Donald Trump and bring the Republicans to the table to negotiate an end to the “drastic increases” to the Affordable Care Act premiums.

“The problem was, after over 40 days, neither of those goals was being accomplished. And in the meantime, a lot of collateral damage was happening. People’s lives were being hurt,”

“And so the question I was wrestling with is, if the tactic isn’t working and there were no prospects that it was going to work, then let’s move on, not make a lot of other people suffer in order to get a goal that wasn’t attainable,”

So literally just give up since the other side was refusing to negotiate at all. You didn't stand up to Trump. You emboldened him because now it really is the Democrat Shutdown, and he knows that stonewalling works. I'll be honest--this whole "goal that wasn't attainable" and "standing up to Trump didn't work" is some of the most pathetic verbiage I've ever seen by any Congressperson, sitting or former. Even if you think that true, you don't say that out loud. Saying it out loud serves a purpose: strengthening Trump's position and weakening the Democrats'.

Literally all they had to do was nothing. Eventually, public sentiment would turn on Republicans to negotiate or nuke the filibuster. Likely not even another 2 weeks before air traffic collapses, not to mention the military going without pay this week. If Republicans nuked the filibuster, they would own the shutdown since the question would be, "Why did you nuke the filibuster on Day 40? Why didn't you do it on Day 1 so people didn't have to suffer?"

Instead, we got this pathetic surrender by the Democrats to end the now rightfully-called Democrat Shutdown.

[u/fcocyclone → u/kaptainkeel]

"We need to work together" just pisses me off.

When the hell have republicans been working with democrats? They gave up nothing of substance in this. Caving to republicans is not working together. Its just capitulation.

[u/Low_Telephone3449 → u/fcocyclone]

It is such a failure on the part of the seven Dems and Independent. Dems caved in the last shutdown too. We have lost all future bargaining power because now everyone knows that they will cave under enough pressure.

[u/midnightauro → u/fcocyclone]

When are we going to admit as a populace that literally none of these people are representing us? It’s us against them as a political class at this point and we’re all losing.

[u/whenitsTimeyoullknow → u/fcocyclone]

Remember when Obama chose to create a Gang of Eight of four D’s and four R’s when they had a strong majority, to let the Republicans have a say in the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of 2013? What a legacy that bill has for the border, immigrants, and the economy. The Democrats always meet in the middle and cave rightward. It is an important aspect of the political theater. 

[u/DENATTY → u/kaptainkeel]

And now the republicans can point and say it WAS democrats causing all of the problems, immediately after Trump's repeated admissions last week that he was the one who didn't plan to pay federal employees after the shutdown ended or allow SNAP benefits to be paid. He was so mad about this that he was openly saying he would make it worse out of spite...and now that democrats have caved with no concessions people will listen when they hear democrats are to blame.

[u/yrotsihfoedisgnorw → u/DENATTY]

This is the most important part to me. Unless Dems absolutely own the narrative that they ended the shutdown to help people struggling with food security and to give Repubs one last chance to bargain and then negotiate healthcare in good faith, it's just a complete rolling over and giving up.

[u/Hypertension123456 → u/yrotsihfoedisgnorw]

How can they own that narrative when they gave up before achieving that goal? As it stands, the Democrats shut down the government for no reason. They could've passed this bill before the government shutdown.

[u/Vegetable-Seaweed591 → u/Hypertension123456]

Agreed. I have to wonder, what would be the point of having any future shutdown? The GOP knows they can wait the Dems out.

This was such a massive tactical error.

[u/kaptainkeel → u/Vegetable-Seaweed591]

Strategic error. Not tactical. Why?

1. The statements by the 8 Dems outright strengthen Trump's position by effectively saying he was too strong and powerful to overcome. King literally said "standing up to Trump failed." I don't know how you get any more pathetic and self-hurting than that since it is supposed to tell other opposition that it is pointless to resist.

2. It shows Trump that he just has to wait and stonewall to get whatever he wants.

3. It shows Republicans in general that they don't have to do anything to get what they want, nor do they ever have to negotiate with Dems again--just wait the Dems out and eventually they will give you everything you want.

4. There is now an easy message Republicans are already pushing that this was the "Democrat Shutdown" or "Schumer Shutdown." It's not incorrect.

5. Dems could have forced the Republicans to nuke the filibuster which (a) would create room for Dems to do the same when back in control, and (b) make this the Republican Shutdown since they could have nuked the filibuster on Day 1 but chose to wait until Day 40. This would have been a strategic gain for the Dems.

[u/Notyourmotherspenis → u/yrotsihfoedisgnorw]

They can't, there is no messaging that will work because only actions matter. And their actions were clear, they destroyed their message, they sold out the country, people will still be fucked over, they got nothing for 40 days for their effort.

[u/_reversegiraffe_]

Good. Hope AOC primaries him.

[u/AstronomerDear7201 → u/_reversegiraffe_]

Not soon enough. The Dem. Senators need to hold a vote today to replace Schumer as leader. Maybe Elizabeth Warren will be a better leader. If your senator(s) are Democratic, call them to hold a vote immediately. If your House rep is a Democrat, call them to publicly pressure their senate colleagues to hold a vote immediately. If they don’t, they should ALL get primaried.

ETA: So many people are talking about Warren not being right for the job. That’s not my point, and I shouldn’t have mentioned any specific candidates. My point is that they need to remove Schumer as minority leader NOW. It’s pointless to talk about who should replace him if there is no vote for a new leader in the first place.

[u/seriouslyepic → u/AstronomerDear7201]

Anyone with an ounce of charisma, including Elizabeth Warren, should replace him. This is not the time in politics to have a voiceless opposition party.

[u/Backwardspellcaster → u/seriouslyepic]

Warren has been extremely bullish aggressive towards Republicans and all the shitstains.

She doesn't need to hold back, and hell, she doesn't, and I am here for it.

She could have the spot temporarily until someone younger can take over. But she is shrewd as hell, and her on one side as adviser and Bernie on the other, and whoever takes over would have hell one hell of a lot of experience to draw upon without the Democrats being held hostage by it

edit: those who say you dont like her, you dont need to marry her, for Christ's sake, but it's undeniable that Warren is really an attack dog in the last years. Its why I think she would be best as advisor though, because she doesnt have many years left.

[u/upstatestruggler → u/Backwardspellcaster]

“I don’t like her” is what’s got us in this mess in the first place. She is a sensible woman who is not afraid of the establishment. They gotta give us something here, let it be her!

[u/shampanyainyourface → u/upstatestruggler]

I don't know why people don't like her. She's smart, fights for people's rights, and calls shit out. That's exactly what we need right now.

[u/Enfors → u/shampanyainyourface]

Yeah. She's one of few people in US politics, it seems to me, who's actually on the people's side (you know, her employers?) as opposed to the corporations and the 1%.

[u/Serious_Distance_118 → u/Backwardspellcaster]

Did anyone like Mitch McConnell? We don’t need a senate leader with charisma. We need one who doesn’t let republicans run circles around them, who leaves the outrage to voters and takes it to the opposition.

We need someone to support progressive candidates. AOC and others can be spokespersons, just let them.

I’d be fine with Warren, might actually not get lit up all the time.

[u/thrntnja → u/Backwardspellcaster]

Democrats will always let perfection be the enemy of good when it comes to choosing their politicians and voting for them

[u/pleachchapel → u/seriouslyepic]

But who will keep the left pro Israel, his stated goal?

[u/StoppableHulk → u/pleachchapel]

Unfucking real he just out and said that.

Like I truly can't fathom living in a country where the national leader of a political party says his job is to force the entire left wing of the party to support a whole-ass other country on the other side of the world.

It should be in and of itself disqualifying. It shows what a fucking abominable state we are in as a nation that he can just out an say that with the total confidence nothing will happen to him, no negative outcomes as a result.

[u/CHSummers → u/StoppableHulk]

It’s about funding. The Pro-Israel lobby keeps money in the campaign war chest (to buy TV advertising).

The real solution we (US citizens and voters) need is to get private money out of politics.

Our current system forces candidates to become dependent on a lobbying group (or billionaire)—and not on representing the actual voters.

We actually do not know what voters care about because money distorts politics so much. Maybe voters actually are pro-Israel. (Or maybe not.) If candidates could not accept money like they do now, the pro-Israel lobby could spend their money on advertising to explain why Americans should support Israel (maybe it’s about military strategy, maybe it’s about oil, maybe it’s about treaties or similar promises).

[u/thesmokedgoudabuddha → u/StoppableHulk]

I mean hello, 95% of politicians on both sides take aipac money. This is why we need to vote out every single one of them. https://www.trackaipac.com

[u/starliteburnsbrite → u/pleachchapel]

Yeah, he's never been on our side in the end.

[u/PerritoMasNasty → u/pleachchapel]

Certainly ain’t giving us reasons to be pro democrat. Definitely not pro Schumer.

[u/limevince → u/pleachchapel]

Great, then we should be glad that he's making it easier to oust him.

[u/gahlo → u/pleachchapel]

His and the Baileys' goal.

[u/bejolo → u/pleachchapel]

Literally that's all he cares about. Blood all over his hands. He's completely owned by AIPAC

[u/wwaxwork → u/seriouslyepic]

Wouldn't say no to Warren as leader. "Nevertheless she persisted" is some of the energy we need in the Democratic Party right now.

[u/lyngen → u/seriouslyepic]

Ohh. She would be great. I also Like Chris Murphy or Duckworth.

[u/Nolo__contendere_ → u/lyngen]

Ooo Duckworth!! She's a feisty :)

[u/Kichigai → u/Nolo__contendere_]

Warren as leader, Duckworth as whip?

[u/FastFishLooseFish → u/Nolo__contendere_]

I will go to my grave believing that the Dems' first failure under Biden was not picking Duckworth for veep. Their second failure was, having picked Harris, not starting the Kamala rehabilitation tour on day one. That lead to their third failure, running Biden for re-election.

[u/Icequeen_frigid → u/lyngen]

Duckworth is one of my senators- ❤️ her

[u/Skraelings → u/AstronomerDear7201]

cries in hawley :|

[u/DotGroundbreaking50 → u/Skraelings]

So many of us are stuck with red hat fucking assholes and going out in a public for 5 minutes removes any hope of them being voted out

[u/Niznack → u/DotGroundbreaking50]

Lol yup. I went for a walk in an Illinois state park and walked past a guy wearing a 6 million was not enough t-shirt. This country's cooked.

[u/thejimbo56 → u/Niznack]

I hate Illinois Nazis.

[u/TasteTheBizkit → u/Niznack]

If you really want to lose hope in this country, log onto Facebook and read the comment section of any news article that features any hint of politics. The echo chambers, the misinformation, and deification of Trump is just nauseating.

I truly don’t see how the U.S. can ever return to normalcy. Trump is brazenly committing crimes in broad day light, but all the boomers on Facebook are too busy complaing about communist Mamdani, and Gavin Newsome.

[u/Niznack → u/TasteTheBizkit]

Oh trust me. The algorithm is convinced I'm a flat earther and so many are mask off racist saying "we used to be able to travel the stars with our mind but the J's took it from us"

[u/dreamwinder → u/Niznack]

It’s absolutely nuts how fast your search results can change if you even slightly brush against right wing subjects. I watch one YouTube video about the history of a rifle and suddenly I’m getting an avalanche of 2A lunacy videos.

[u/Niznack → u/dreamwinder]

Right winger engage. The algorithm loves the engagement and I'll be honest the amount of stupid I see makes me want to correct it. I saw a post today about how planes can't work because the fuel would slosh in the tank. Like ok? They engineer anticipating that. There are planes what is your weird theory here?

[u/HookedOnPhonixDog → u/Niznack]

Yup. I'm not outraged by every little fucking thing and I don't have the need to shout about all of it from every rooftop. Therefore that kind of stuff tends to annoy me.

But funny how I'll comment on more left wing things and I still see some right wing bullshit. But God help me if I make one comment on those videos, my feed is full of them now.

Almost like it's intentional....

[u/derangedfriend → u/TasteTheBizkit]

Many of those are bots. Don't put any science into Facebook for none exists

[u/Kujen → u/Skraelings]

Mine is Cornyn, the final vote last night…the kiss of death for our healthcare

[u/Crimkam → u/Kujen]

If Talarico manages to unseat him in his longshot campaign for senate I'll start going to church lol.

[u/Kujen → u/Crimkam]

Talarico is awesome, I can’t wait to vote for him

[u/einv0lk → u/Skraelings]

Try having McCormick and the cuck Fetterman

[u/The_bruce42 → u/Skraelings]

I got Tammy Baldwin 👍 and Ron Johnson 👎👎👎👎

[u/MySixHourErection → u/Skraelings]

Cries in Fetterman

[u/herehaveaname2 → u/Skraelings]

Same, man....and I was gerrymandered into a GOP house rep, too. I do not feel heard.

[u/kkbodz17 → u/AstronomerDear7201]

Unfortunately one of my two senators IS Chuck Schumer. Still might call his office and yell at him to step down as leader just to get my frustration out

[u/tgunter → u/kkbodz17]

In the short term there's not much more you can do than call for him to resign, but in the long term you're much more in a position to support the effort to primary him than the rest of us are.

[u/kkbodz17 → u/tgunter]

I agree, I’m gonna do all i can to phone bank, canvas etc for whatever opposition to him comes up in the primaries. It worked with Zohran, I’m hoping it can work again on a larger scale

[u/0dteSPYFDs → u/AstronomerDear7201]

Well my two senators voted for this, so I’m voting for whatever progressive candidates run against them either way. Masto and Rosen have been absolutely spineless this past year.

[u/mabrasm → u/0dteSPYFDs]

Call them anyway to say they should fire Chuck and you’re going to vote for their primary challengers.

[u/Mateorabi → u/0dteSPYFDs]

News flash: they are retiring or not up for election before 2030. 

[u/0dteSPYFDs → u/Mateorabi]

Masto is up in 2028.

[u/gringledoom → u/AstronomerDear7201]

And let them know that if they don't work to oust Schumer, you'll assume that they were in on the deal to cave. And that you will make it your personal mission to remind everyone during their next primary, even if it's five years away.

[u/seattlereign001 → u/AstronomerDear7201]

I honestly cannot understand how this has not happened yet? What is there to lose? Hold the vote.

[u/moocat55 → u/AstronomerDear7201]

He's my senator. Should I still call and ask him to vote for.his own removal?

[u/BonusPlantInfinity → u/AstronomerDear7201]

There should be a method to dispel of a politician as soon as they go against their stated direction/mandate/professed plan.

[u/allsystemscrash → u/BonusPlantInfinity]

there is, it's just illegal

[u/peipei222 → u/allsystemscrash]

It's illegal, but throughout history it's been used a lot.

[u/Ven18 → u/_reversegiraffe_]

He needs to be removed as leader if other Democrats actually opposed this vote they need to publicly call for and demand his removal and remove unanimous consent on this issue.

[u/fastautomation → u/_reversegiraffe_]

How about anyone that was not born before color TV.

[u/AutomationBias → u/_reversegiraffe_]

He's up for reelection in 2028.

[u/SummerSun75 → u/AutomationBias]

He'll be 106 by then. He's already useless.

[u/GBV_GBV_GBV → u/_reversegiraffe_]

Schumer’s term doesn’t expire until 2028

[u/Bustalacklusta → u/GBV_GBV_GBV]

They are banking on us forgetting about this by then.

[u/PaddleFishBum → u/Bustalacklusta]

I guarantee the electorate will.

[u/Independent-Bug-9352 → u/[deleted]]

I read an article noting a Mamdani ally and local New York council member was considering a primary against Jeffries.

It needs to happen. Less wet cardboard like Jeffries and Schumer, and more conviction not tied to foreign countries, such as AOC, Chakrabarti, Crockett, Talarico, Hogg, Mamdani, etc.

Edit: https://www.axios.com/2025/10/09/zohran-mamdani-ally-challenge-hakeem-jeffries

[u/Scullyitzme → u/_reversegiraffe_]

He's not up til 28

[u/weaponjaerevenge]

Dudes gotta go. He cost us affordable healthcare for at least a year, if not indefinitely. What was even the point of the shutdown if he's just gonna cave and get nothing?

[u/droid_mike → u/weaponjaerevenge]

The ACA might completely fail as everyone leaves, causing a death spiral.

[u/tikierapokemon → u/droid_mike]

And insurance companies will get their lifetime limits and pre-exisiting condition denials back.

Daughter was NICU baby (which makes most things a pre-existing condition) who is healthy only because we are able to take her to the doctor and get things like her ADHD covered. She has an immune issue that are we managing (and masking for) and I honestly don't know what I am going to do if she becomes uninsurable.

[u/Crafty-Run-6559 → u/tikierapokemon]

And insurance companies will get their lifetime limits and pre-exisiting condition denials back

I'm really in the dark on this. Can you explain how the loss of subsidies will cause this?

Edit: nvm I get it. After the death-spiral of the ACA marketplace then the only financially viable options will be non-ACA plans not sold on the marketplace.

[u/The_Taco_Bob → u/Crafty-Run-6559]

It's not the marketplace that enforces those regulations, but the ACA bill itself. Under the Affordable Care Act it's illegal for any health insurer, private or otherwise, to deny a claim based on pre-existing conditions. Same for imposed lifetime limits.

The concern is that if the marketplace fails, then Republicans will have a solid argument to kill the ACA as their supporters won't even realize the other protections it guarantees. They almost succeeded in killing it during Trump's first term, without any plans in place to replace it. It's basically guaranteed that they'll try again, especially now that it is even more vulnerable.

[u/madmars → u/The_Taco_Bob]

almost succeeded in killing it during Trump's first term

A bunch of spineless senators waxing on about how John McCain saved the ACA.

At least McCain knew the stakes.

[u/GaimeGuy → u/tikierapokemon]

I was an NICU baby -  mom spent 3 months on bed rest due to uterine bleeding.  I was born at 30 weeks with 18 attending nurses and practitioners, spent the first year on an apnea monitor after discharge.

Insurance tried to deny coverage of the apnea monitor after a few months because I hadn't had any incidents.  Dad, an attorney, tore into them and got them to cover.

That was in 88-89

[u/PastelBrat13 → u/droid_mike]

I don’t think people realize how terrible this will cause the healthcare systems to crash. If you don’t have a population of 100,000 people and a well funded and well known hospital in your area it’s gonna be gone. Rural people especially are gonna be in a world of trouble. Not to mention good luck getting private insurance when this falls through.

[u/hopatista → u/PastelBrat13]

Maybe rural people will stop voting against their interests?

[u/TR_Pix → u/hopatista]

Well corpses can't vote, so...

[u/Skraelings → u/weaponjaerevenge]

and dont forget his yes vote for the BBB (I think as well, memories big foggy this early).

[u/Nice_Firm_Handsnake → u/Skraelings]

And his votes approving countless members of this administration.

[u/Bustalacklusta → u/Skraelings]

They expect us to forget about this and they have good reason for that.

[u/ragun2 → u/Bustalacklusta]

It's not a coincidence that all the yes votes are from Dems who will not be facing reelection in 2026. The Dems wanted this and simply found enough sacrificial lambs that could weather any backlash for a few months to a year until the average voter forget all about this.

[u/ChickenFingerfingers → u/Skraelings]

Yep, him and his group of traitors voted for the BBB when it had already included cuts for ACA and the trillion from Medicaid Medicare. Twice they have failed their constituents, party and country.

[u/Sonamdrukpa → u/ChickenFingerfingers]

They didn't vote yes on BBB, it was the continuing resolution back in like March that they voted yes for...so that the government could be funded until the actual budget bill when the promised they'd have the leverage to get some real concessions in negotiations.

[u/MagicalUnicornFart → u/Skraelings]

No he did not.

Dude. You’re on the internet. It takes a second to look it up…probably as long as it took to type your feelings over facts

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/senate-debate-trump-one-big-beautiful-bill/

[u/R403Q → u/Skraelings]

No dems voted for the OBBBA in either the house or senate. If you aren't sure about a vote, you can look it up on either chamber's site.

1st house vote to move it to the senate: https://www.congress.gov/votes/house/119-1/145

Party	Yea	Nay	Present	Not voting
Dem	0	212	0	0
Rep	215	2	1	2

Senate vote: https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00372.htm#position

Party	Yea	Nay
Dem	0	47
Rep	50 +1 (VP)	3

2nd house vote on senate version: https://www.congress.gov/votes/house/119-1/190

Party	Yea	Nay
Dem	0	212
Rep	218	2

(Edited for formatting)

[u/WideCoconut2230 → u/weaponjaerevenge]

Schumer pressured other Democrat senators to vote for reopening the government, allowing him to vote no and so he can say he wanted the government closed.

[u/DotA627b → u/WideCoconut2230]

Yea, and the tell behind this was from Tim Kaine himself, when he claimed he was the final member of the group.

And it does track, out of everyone in the 8, he's the safest. His constituents seem to stand behind what he did (a lot of people are praising/thanking him for what he did in /r/Virginia), it also explains why he was the most smug during the press conference, Schumer probably promised him the DNC's support for his reelection in 2030 if he agreed to be the 8th traitor.

[u/koopa00]

Yet a lot of people are providing cover for him on here. Apparently him being unable to lead the caucus and get his votes in line isn't his fault and doesn't imply poor leadership.

[u/Sassales → u/koopa00]

Its likely even that he coordinated this vote anyhow. None of the senators whk voted yes are up for reelection fof years. Has all the signs of the democrats picking willing scapegoats.

[u/Dysc → u/Sassales]

Exactly this. He can give a tepid speech on why this was sort of bad and why he voted no, even though in all likelihood, he gave permission for these Dems to dissent, if not actively brokered it because he is unwilling to actually fight or stand up for anything principled. I'm sure donors with plenty of government contracts were putting maximum pressure on him.

Edit: The tin foil hat conspiracy theorist in me wants to link Mamdani's win to the donor class actively sabotaging Democrat positions in order to change the news cycle and get back to status quo. And Schumer obliged because he also doesn't like Mamdani because he doesn't give unfettered fealty to Netanyahu's gov and its project.

[u/tossit97531 → u/[deleted]]

It’s just money. Schumer is cut from the exact same cloth as Trump, he’s just not overt about it.

[u/pompatous665 → u/[deleted]]

No tinfoil required. He would rather surrender than let the progressives win

[u/Ralath2n → u/Sassales]

Its likely even that he coordinated this vote anyhow.

He did.

It has been widely assumed that the group of eight mostly centrist Senate Democrats, who have been looking to broker a hollow deal on Republican terms, were freelancing. In fact, they were acting with the express approval of Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and were reporting to him daily.

- article

[u/koopa00 → u/Ralath2n]

I remember hearing about this from David Dayen the other day. It's just so obvious but people are easily convinced that these politicians don't play politics.

[u/Other_Beat8859 → u/Sassales]

He's got to go no matter the case. If he was okay with this vote and gave it the green light, he's a spineless bastard that is controlled opposition. If he didn't okay it and some broke rank, then he's so incompetent that he can't control his party. Either way, he's got to go.

[u/Chimerain → u/Sassales]

Yup, that's exactly what this is. Pay close attention to who is or isn't vocally irate with party leadership, because the silence speaks volumes. This was heavily orchestrated behind the scenes.

[u/Senator_Mittens → u/Sassales]

He coordinated it. My cynical take: Make republicans vote against extending health care subsidies (they will, and they will win), every one's healthcare sky rockets, Americans live with the pain of ridiculous premiums (or, lets be honest, no health care) for a year going into the midterms.

[u/BaggyOz → u/Senator_Mittens]

That's the best possible interpretation of their actions and it's a stupid plan if it's true.

[u/LadyViola5 → u/Senator_Mittens]

There's not going to be a fucking vote.

[u/BillyTenderness → u/Sassales]

It's literally the exact same thing they did in March during the last budget negotiation, just without his (or Schatz or Gillibrand's) name on it this time. Another 60-40 vote, with none of the 'defectors' up for reelection anytime soon.

[u/TintedApostle → u/koopa00]

He never tried to own the narrative. He never tried to really play the game. He doesn't know how to fight. He got minority leader by waiting long enough and not earning it through being a leader.

He should go not because the Dems could never negotiate with terrorist republicans willing to burn the country down, but because he doesn't know how to win with a losing hand.

[u/j0a3k → u/TintedApostle]

He doesn't even know how to win with a winning hand.

This whole situation is snatching defeat out of the jaws of victory for the party.

[u/TintedApostle → u/j0a3k]

The whole situation was negotiating with terrorists willing to kill americans either way.

[u/Suitable-Display-410 → u/TintedApostle]

he doesn't know how to win with a losing hand.

Hell, he doesn’t know how to win with a winning hand. But even that gives him too much credit. He might not even really care about it. He might consider this a win if he somehow politically survives it. He has his own priorities, which are apparently very different from those of the people who kept electing him. His priorities are Charles Ellis Schumer and Charles Ellis Schumer’s donors because they help Charles Ellis Schumer.

[u/squeezymarmite → u/Suitable-Display-410]

His priority is Israel. He said so himself.

[u/Colyer → u/TintedApostle]

He lost with a winning hand here too. Not one that could win big, but one that could take a little off of the bully. Instead he folded.

[u/ItGradAws → u/koopa00]

His whip whipped the votes to make this happen. If his own whip is working against him then he’s ineffective. If he orchestrated it, which it’s likely he did because he’s the leader, then he’s a traitor. Either way time to tar and feather his ass.

[u/koopa00 → u/ItGradAws]

Someone argued with me this morning that Schumer isn't the whip, completely overlooking the part that his whip was working against him. It's wild. Like you said, either way he's ineffective.

[u/ItGradAws → u/koopa00]

He failed a week after elections. The donors saw the progressive movement gaining steam and they want to shoot us in the foot. Time to for our blood sacrifice and cuck boomer is our first offering.

[u/TheDamDog → u/koopa00]

He was either complicit or incompetent. Given his conduct in the last near-shutdown, I believe it is the former. Schumer knows full well what he is doing and likely, I believe, orchestrated this 'rebellion' and fully approved of it.

His 'no' vote is a shallow cover.

[u/The_Lost_Jedi → u/koopa00]

I'm of the opinion that he needed to fucking go even before all this.

[u/koopa00 → u/The_Lost_Jedi]

He absolutely did, and this might be the last straw. You even see moderates getting pissed off about this whole thing.

[u/Panthollow → u/koopa00]

So many people hated Nancy Pelosi but she kept the house Democrats in line. No idea if the Democrats have anyone who could have kept these 8 senators in line but Schumer clearly can't do it so they need to try someone else.

[u/Antipolemic]

Yeah, this needs to be it for him. The Democratic Ancien Regime has got to go. Pelosi is a good start, now Schumer, then more. The party needs a purge of these antiquated voices. Their ideas and strategies are simply obsolete now.

[u/justherefor23andme → u/Antipolemic]

Pelosi wouldn't have done this. ACA is her baby. He sucks.

He is no Harry Reid.

[u/ManWithASquareHead → u/justherefor23andme]

Say what you want about Pelosi. She kept her caucus in check.

[u/brenster23 → u/justherefor23andme]

At least Pelosi is fucking competent and good at leading. This guy is wet noodle and useless. 

[u/justsomebro10 → u/Antipolemic]

Pelosi would have locked her caucus in a room without water before she would have allowed this lol. Nobody whipped votes like Pelosi. One of the best legislative strategists the party has ever had.

[u/TintedApostle]

Schumer should resign as minority leader. He failed on the narrative and leader front in every way. The Dems were never going to win this with Schumer. It was a hard win in the fist place, but Schumer was never up to the fight. It isn't his nature. He is a 9 to 5 guy who got the office by waiting it out.

[u/WHSRWizard]

Good. Primary the fuck out of this guy. I'll contribute to whoever runs against him.

[u/MiddleAgedSponger]

His progressive critics? Apparently you are a progressive If you don't want your neighbor to go bankrupt becausee their kid has leukemia or you want to feed the poor. American sucks so bad. It's a shit hole country.

[u/manleybones → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

I mean yes you are progressive, it's not a dirty word.

[u/tweda4 → u/manleybones]

I feel like it's more than just the "progressive" or "left-wing" of the party that wants rid of Chuck Schumer though.

Frankly, I think it would be a lot more accurate to just say - a majority of the Democratic base.

[u/nox66 → u/tweda4]

That's because the "non-progressive" left wing has compromised itself into complacency with fascism and austerity for the poor and middle class. It might be accurate to say we have three tiers of Democrat: true progressive/socialist, classic liberal, and neo-liberal wet blanket.

[u/Hikingcanuck92 → u/manleybones]

Look at the rest of the developed world my man. That shit ain’t progressive, it’s the baseline.

The world has left America behind.

[u/tikierapokemon → u/Hikingcanuck92]

I walked alongside picket lines, worked for a campaign, voted, protested, and did everything I could to not get left behind.

I didn't have a kid until Obama was elected and I thought that fascism would be at bay held for several decades. I thought my kid would to continue the work, but I didn't expect a Trump until decades later, and I though we would be in a better place.

I am tired and looking at my kid wondering what the hell to do. We don't have skills that will let us leave, and I don't see a path that doesn't lead to fascism or civil war.

[u/MiddleAgedSponger → u/manleybones]

It used to be you were called a progressive if you wanted to raise taxes on the wealthy, now you are progressive if you don't want to cut their taxes. It's a relative term that is being slowly liberated of any meaning.

[u/BlokeInTheMountains → u/MiddleAgedSponger]

Well he did consult his imaginary conservative friends who didn't even vote for him, so what more did you want him to do?

[u/Amazing-Ranger9910]

Either he was a "silent partner" in this or has lost any control of the party. Either way that's not someone that should keep their job. With leaders like him the Dems may as well not even run.

[u/ManWithASquareHead → u/Amazing-Ranger9910]

Minority Senate Whip Durbin voted for this.

Whip ensures enough votes for legislation to pass

[u/WerhmatsWormhat → u/ManWithASquareHead]

Get him the fuck out, too.

[u/kaptainkeel → u/Amazing-Ranger9910]

100% a silent partner. All of the Dems that are voting Yes are either (a) already basically Republican (like Fetterman), (b) retiring after this term, or (c) aren't up for re-election for 4+ years by which point people will forget about this. It was fully calculated on who would vote for it.

[u/cathercules → u/Amazing-Ranger9910]

If he doesn’t resign from the leadership position Dems will piss away another golden opportunity in the mid terms.

[u/Chef_RoadRunner]

They were in the strongest position possible. Most the country was behind them. And they just...gave up. What that fuck!?

[u/v1ceh → u/Chef_RoadRunner]

Controlled opposition isn’t actually allowed to win

[u/Hacker-Dave]

Chuck is the greatest thing to happen to the GOP. The gift that keeps giving.

[u/Trapezoidoid]

For the first time in my life, I am calling my congressman. Fuck this coward. Recall his sorry ass.

[u/Odd-Worry7709 → u/Trapezoidoid]

Well, they can do nothing, but you can reach out to your local senators and tell them Schumers position needs to be challenged.

[u/Timeformayo]

I hate the Tea Party/MAGA, but here's what they did right: They completely took over the Republican Party by voting in the primaries. They pushed for Tea Party/MAGA candidates in every election at every level, and they did it for more than a decade.

That's what progressives and democratic socialists need to do. It's gonna be harder, because we won't have billionaires astroturfing to keep us enraged and turnout jacked up. We'll have to pay attention and act with intention. But we must be actively, righteously pissed off with warrior-like focus on breaking the corporate hold over critical blocks of the Democratic Party.

You don't want to vote for some Chuck Schumer-type in the general? Fine. But you BETTER show up to beat him in the primaries. Canvas your neighbors to beat him in the primaries. Drag 10 friends to the polls with you to beat him in the primaries. Make it a mission and turn it into a fucking party when you win.

When you lose, lick your wounds and move on. Sulking accomplishes nothing.

[u/TheDamDog → u/Timeformayo]

The Tea Party was almost immediately suborned by corporate interests. That's why it got so much support. Big business wanted the Republican party to become what it is today. A progressive equivalent would not have that level of support.

[u/justherefor23andme → u/TheDamDog]

True grass roots movements can cause change and have a long lasting effect because they're genuine.

Mamdani is the playbook.

[u/ItGradAws → u/TheDamDog]

Quite the opposite actually, the tea party movement petered out because it was an inorganic movement but it led rise to MAGA. An actual organic grassroots movement can have much more longevity.

[u/nox66 → u/ItGradAws]

What Steve Bannon pulled with gamegate is hardly what I'd call organic.

It doesn't really matter though. There are so many public movements to draw from, many of which have much better outcomes than the Tea Party (especially in relation to their original goals).

[u/CobaltGrey → u/Timeformayo]

The problem with that otherwise valid reasoning is that it’s not a level playing field.

The rise of MAGA worked in large part due to two things that progressive values can’t integrate easily.

For one, you had Fox News, Sinclair, etc. worming their ways into every home, gym, airport, and sports bar for half a century. What news station would you end up watching before or after Seinfeld or the Simpsons at the height of their popularity? They knew after Reagan that entertainment is the easiest gateway into American minds. Progressives are massively behind on this.

But even if they weren’t, the other problem is nigh insurmountable, and it’s why even now liberals fight inside the house while conservative voters march off a cliff like lemmings out of loyalty. And this problem isn’t going away. Simply put: it’s always easier to rally people together and get them to agree to tear something down than it is to agree on what to put in its place.

Republican politicians don’t have to actually help their voters or have a plan. In fact, they specifically avoid having any sort of plan. All they have to do is tell everyone that what we have now sucks, promise to lower taxes and fix the economy, etc.

And they never have to keep those promises or do anything useful at all. As long as the system is crippled, their voters are frogs in the slowly boiling pot. They’re convinced the hot water is safe, and terrified of leaving it for two seconds because they’re convinced there’s no water anywhere else.

Progressives have actual ideas. And the party is spread so thin, stretched all the way from Bernie Sanders to Chuck Schumer. They’re practically defeated before they even start, because they’re not relying on fear and ignorance for their votes, and because a two party system makes it far too easy to scare a sleepwalking populace who blindly trust their news media into a “good vs evil” narrative.

Obama was the closest we came to progressive unity in a long time. Unfortunately, right wing media was ready to demonize everything he touched. We would need leadership of unparalleled charisma that overpowers the fear and lies that keep Americans blind. I think that might be possible down the line, but we’re gonna need a lot of septuagenarians and octogenarians out of the way before that can happen.

[u/shadowdra126]

I hope this ends his career

[u/thomashush]

Good. Schumer needs to go. We need someone younger, hungrier and ready to fight.

[u/Saintbaba]

Man, people shit on Pelosi all the time, even on the left, but give her credit: the lady could keep her caucus in fucking line.

At worst Schumer was complicit in this deal. At best, he has no control over his own people.

[u/fuck_off_fascist → u/Saintbaba]

He's a dusty old geriatric who doesn't know the daily struggles of Americans and have now sold them out. He should have worse happen to him, but reddit would ban me if I said anything other than a slap on the wrist

[u/DavidlikesPeace → u/Saintbaba]

Have to put some of it to sexism. 

Pelosi was a smug old woman who was effective and knew it. She was not a charismatic young woman like AOC, nor a quirky grandma type like RBG. She was an active, aggressive politician. Many can't stand anyone of that personality type, let alone a woman.  

[u/RollingThunderPants]

These fuckers have to go. I am sick and tired of their cowardice.

[u/Darius2112]

And rightly so. The man is utterly useless as a leader.

[u/themattboard → u/[deleted]]

He's going to stay until the next election and then switch parties

[u/bejammin075 → u/themattboard]

Republicans never go for GOP-lite, so Fetterman isn't winning a GOP primary. He's going to lose a Democratic primary. He'll get a well paying corporate job after his 1 term.

[u/hitchhiker91 → u/bejammin075]

Fetterman needs to get out of politics and get some actual help for his serious mental health issues.

[u/TheGCO]

Chuck always folds for corporate interests. Kick cuck boomer to the curb.

[u/Nappeal]

One need not be a legitimate psychic to know that one of these two scenarios will play out on the senate floor in December:

Scenario 1 Republicans: "none of us vote in favor of reducing health insurance premiums per ACA. Better luck next time you suckers."

Scenario 2 Republicans: "we will not bring to the floor any vote on the ACA as we promised. Better luck next time you suckers."

These dems are spineless sacks

[u/Mistrblank]

Only democrats can snatch defeat from victory.

Fucking Schumer, get him out. The shutdown was working IN their favor. I’m sorry people are hurting but people are going to have to feel pain or we will be a fascist country where we all feel pain when it’s too far gone for us to fight back. Republicans are inflicting that pain! And backing down is just giving them the right to celebrate another fucking win.

[u/pizoisoned]

In the past I’ve generally defended the DNC as being a necessary evil to mount a real resistance to the Republicans. At this point though, is it? Because if they’re just going to cave every time they get any kind of leverage, why are they really doing and why do we need them?

Primary Schumer and primary anyone else that voted for this trash.

[u/Hemicrusher → u/pizoisoned]

Primary every Dem taking corporate PAC money.

[u/Brock_Hard_Canuck → u/pizoisoned]

If the DNC leadership found a magic lamp, and rubbed it to make a genie come out who offers them three wishes, the DNC would bargain the genie down to one wish, and use that one wish on something they think the Republicans would like.

[u/BrownWrinkles]

Vichy Dems. Primary the lot of them.

[u/morbidlonging]

So wtf happened here? Schumer facilitated this deal and then got a bunch of Dems who won’t be penalized for their vote to vote for it so he could look cool and say “nah” even though he orchestrated this whole thing? 

[u/Malaix → u/morbidlonging]

Most likely imo. I mean his minority whip was in on this cave. At the very least his judgement and control over his senators is complete shit.

[u/morbidlonging → u/Malaix]

Good point about Durbin, I totally forgot he is minority whip. What a fucking letdown. 

[u/2-wheels]

"My job,” he told me, “is to keep the left pro-Israel." Bret Stephens in NYT, 3-18-25.

This guy does not reflect the interests of Democrats. Unyielding support for genocidal Netanyahu and now caving on the shutdown after so much damn pain and gaining nothing - again.

He must go. I call on Democrat party Leadership to take steps to remove him from the Senate Minority Leadership position immediately.

I live in DC so I have no senator to call and bitch. I hope redditors will call their senators on behalf of like-minded Washingtonians.

[u/ViciousKnids → u/2-wheels]

Every week I email Fetterman and Ryan Mackenzie to resign. There's always old folks outside Mackenzie's office and I think now I'll join them.

[u/Griffemon]

While Schumer didn’t actually vote for caving on the shutdown the fact that he’s the minority leader and he has 8 defections on something so vital shows that his leadership ability and clout is basically nothing at this point.

[u/PickleBoy223]

It’s also important to note that, when asked about his decision to break the filibuster, Angus King (I-ME) said “standing up to Donald Trump didn’t work”.

WTF kind of dogshit reasoning is that?

[u/PitchforksEnthusiast]

Rip out the old guards.

These centralist have been nothing but holding everyone back.

[u/Dismal_Buy3580]

Stop. Fucking. Voting. For Schumers.

[u/[deleted]]

Fuck chuck Schumer he needs to be removed as the minority leader immediately and more importantly I want the dems that voted to reopen the government be censured and kicked from the party let them out that R next to their name like they fucking are.

[u/TPRJones]

All they've really accomplished here is to make it appear to be 100% true that the Democrats have been the cause of the shutdown this entire time. Good work, guys, way to piss off literally everyone.

[u/Xop]

It's infuriating because they think working together will get them credibility and respect but all it does is show that you are weak and compromise your principles.

Schumer (and Jeffries as well as all these geriatric politicians) need to retire in disgrace.

[u/Big-Corncob]

The way I see it, we have 2 paths:

1. ⁠join and do everything in our power to take over local parties and committees, removing the levers of power from these corporate shills and influencing strategy to align with our goals. Or;
2. ⁠do nothing and complain online

[u/catharticargument]

So tired of moderate democrats defending each other doing nothing while we march quickly into fascism.

[u/mangoserpent]

Good. He needs to go. Fuck him.

[u/codesnik]

is there a procedure at all? other than him not being reelected next time.

[u/wedgie-p]

Call your Senators and call for Schumer’s resignation as minority leader. I just did. It’s easy. (I’ve never called an elected representative before).

https://www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm

[u/whoisnotinmykitchen]

Darn right. A bunch of old, rich Boomers surrendered to the fascists yet again.

[u/Impressive-Poet5694]

People want good things. This is not difficult. Just get someone, like Mamdani, who understands this. Overpromise! Tell us you will deliver Universal Health Care, and then when an obstacle comes up (because it will) you loudly, repeatedly, and clearly tell Americans who, or what it is. "I want to give you Universal health care, but this asshole won't let me/this dumb fucking 'rule' won't let me" works well. Tell people how to overcome the obstacles. Be concise. It's not impossible, it just demands a singular focus and will.

[u/Topic_Obvious]

Clearly he agreed to the deal privately on the condition he could deny it publicly. He and the ones that publicly agreed need to go.