Schumer May Let Govt Shut Down As ‘Struggling’ Dems Want To Appease Far-Left
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has cautioned that Congress might be approaching a partial government shutdown this fall, influenced by the pressures from the far-left faction of the Democratic Party.
Thune, a Republican representing South Dakota, indicated that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is under considerable pressure from his constituents and suggested that upcoming votes could reveal more about the risks associated with a partial shutdown.
“I believe he [Schumer] likely perceives it as advantageous to their political base, the far left of the Democrat Party, and one can observe the developments occurring in New York politics,” Thune remarked during an interview with Fox News anchor Maria Bartiromo.
In March, Schumer encountered substantial progressive backlash after he chose not to oppose a GOP-supported budget bill designed to avert a partial government shutdown.
The criticism was so intense that Schumer had to rearrange parts of his book tour as leftist factions urged Congressional Democrats to intensify their opposition against President Donald Trump.
As the minority party in both the House and Senate, the Democrats possess limited leverage with the Trump administration during government shutdowns.
To prevent a shutdown, Congress is required to fund the government through 12 appropriations bills or a continuing resolution at the start of each new fiscal year, which commences on October 1.
Both alternatives are vulnerable to a Senate filibuster, which necessitates 60 votes to overcome. With only 53 seats, Republicans will need Democratic cooperation.
At present, Congress has funded the government via a continuing resolution, which effectively places it on autopilot until the fall.
“This is a party grappling with its identity. This is a party that is entirely misaligned with the mainstream of this country. We will be eagerly awaiting to see what Chuck Schumer and other leaders on the Democrat side choose to do,” Thune further commented.
Earlier this month, Schumer criticized Republicans for advancing a rescissions plan that would enable them to retract previously approved funding.
Schumer asserted that such an action would jeopardize negotiations regarding the government shutdown.
“We are doing everything within our power to maintain the bipartisan appropriations process,” Schumer informed reporters earlier this month. “And they are undermining it through rescissions, pocket rescissions, impoundment, and various other means.”
Schumer suggests that Democrats cannot place their trust in Republicans to comply with the terms of a bipartisan appropriations agreement, as Republicans have shown a tendency to bypass these terms through rescissions and presidential impoundment when Trump opts not to utilize certain allocated funds.
Republican leaders, especially those in the House, have long struggled to convince fiscal conservatives to endorse a continuing resolution or the twelve appropriations bills. The right wing has strongly advocated for increased budget reductions, which Democrats deem unacceptable.
Schumer must also navigate the precarious landscape of leftist politics. The Democratic establishment faced upheaval last month when Zohran Mamdani triumphed over former Governor Andrew Cuomo in the New York City Democratic mayoral primary.
The leading Senate Democrat is preparing for reelection in 2028 and has not yet declared his intention to run, despite the looming threat of a challenge from “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).
“Ultimately, ensuring the government remains funded is beneficial for the nation, and we hope to achieve bipartisan cooperation in this endeavor,” Thune remarked.
“If their recent performance is any indication, they are under significant pressure from the far-left faction of the Democrat Party to bring about a government shutdown.”
The latest partial shutdown of the federal government, which lasted for a total of 35 days, took place from late 2018 to early 2019 due to a disagreement between President Trump and Democrats regarding funding for the border wall.