Democrats have only hardened their position as the government shutdown enters its 23rd day, leaving Republican majorities in Congress with few answers — and many criticisms.

For the 12th time, Senate Democrats blocked the Republican Party's government funding legislation this week without a single senator switching his or her vote.

Just three Democratic caucus members voted for the bill: John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine. That means Republicans are still five votes short of the 60-vote threshold to ensure passage of the bill, just as they have been since before the government shut down 23 days ago.

Democratic voters had pressured their party to take a more confrontational posture toward Trump in the shutdown battle. The new stance may be paying off with the party’s base.

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[–] 210 points 11 months ago

If we don't hold the line now, everything gets much worse.

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  • [–] 203 points 11 months ago (16 children)

    There is no negotiating to be had on the issue. Remove the cuts to healthcare or fuck off.

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  • [+] 35 points 11 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (14 children)
  • [–] 52 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    The last shutdown ended after 35 days when LaGuardia was shutdown due to protests ftom airport workers who weren't getting payed.

    My prediction is a similar thing will happen.

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  • [–] 26 points 11 months ago*

    It's actually worse. With the pocket recision that has already been used, the administration has literally demonstrated that they will rescind any deal they don't want to pay for. Frankly, the only way to negotiate in good faith would be some legal measure passed and tested by the courts (because the pocket recision used to be illegal until this SCOTUS ruled in favor of it, like just in time for this budget needing to be passed), guaranteeing that the administration will fund what Congress has appropriated funds for.

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  • [–] 114 points 11 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 107 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    Just three Democratic caucus members voted for the bill: John Fetterman, D-Pa.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Angus King, I-Maine.

    Hear that Nevada and Maine? You should probably deal with your traitors.

    Everybody already knew about Fetterman

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    [–] 74 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Keep it shutdown and keep the core message that GOP can end this if they cared about health care for normal americans.

    Keep up the pressure and rally around the message.

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    [–] 68 points 11 months ago (23 children)

    I was just telling my best friend that I think this shutdown is going to go on for six to eight months. Possibly to the point where the pot boils over and the government gets thrown away because it was closed for so long.

    At least, one can dream that after months of bitter pain and suffering, we might possibly get people who care about others running a government. But that’s a whole hell of a serving of pain and suffering before we get there.

    Fuck it, let’s general strike this place. Medicare for all with the govt reopen and all those critical services back or nothing ever happens again.

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  • [–] 15 points 11 months ago (15 children)

    the government gets thrown away because it was closed for so long.

    Is that a real possibility? How does that actually work? Is there a new election triggered automatically if the government was shut down for 6-8 months?

    If not, you will most likely be waiting and hoping forever, all the while things just keep getting worse.

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  • [–] 41 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Governments are the product of the people. There is no divine or natural laws that triggers "an election". A government is simply created from thin air when a group of people (any group of people) get together and say: fuck the old system, we are putting that in the trash and signing a new social contract.

    Of course, there's virtually never unanimity of agreement over this social contract in one geographic area, so that social contract is only as binding as the force used to put it in effect.

    Realistically, 6 months+ of government shutdown in the US will likely cause a collapse of the USA as a single unified federal entity, since the federal government effectively rots. At that point, all bets are off. A fracture of the US is very possible.

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  • [–] 18 points 11 months ago

    In parliamentary democracies the budget is automatically a vote of confidence. If the government can't pass it, an election occurs. Nothing shuts down because the system is still operating on the existing budget that was already passed.

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  • [–] 14 points 11 months ago (6 children)

    Is that written into laws? No. But you know who made the original government? People who decided to make their own shit.

    We have more information and better access to new decisions. We can simply decide to start over collectively and start once again. We don’t have to do things because that’s the way they have always been (in our individual lifetime).

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  • [–] 11 points 11 months ago

    I feel like a dramatic dissolution should be a possibility considered, but I don't really expect us to come out of it with a new people-focused government. Likely if the budget never gets passed Trump decides he doesn't need Congress and just starts spending money as he wishes. He'll even start with funding something the people want, then once it's established that he can just spend money and no one will stop him, he'll move on to the instruments of oppression. When the military is directly being paid by the president, we'll see how much of their oath is really to the Constitution.

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  • [+] 62 points 11 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)
    [–] 37 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    Good. Hold the fucking line.

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  • [–] 29 points 11 months ago (14 children)

    I’m gonna have to vote for Fetterman in three years, aren’t I.

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  • [–] 58 points 11 months ago (4 children)

    That depends on whether someone in PA can assemble the resources needed to primary him.

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  • [–] 50 points 11 months ago* (2 children)

    I honestly dont expect him to run for reelection. The guy seems to absolutely hate being a senator after having a stroke. He definitely despises being in the public eye or the center of attention to some degree. He also seems to not really have much awareness of things going on around him in general anymore. He really should not be in such a stressful position in his current state of health, and I doubt he wants to be. Pride is probably the sole thing keeping him from stepping down. It definitely isnt his love for being in the role, that is for sure

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  • [–] 19 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

    He's a shitty town mayor. He got some TV time back then for his 'crazy antics'. You might be right the national spotlight is hopefully too much for him.

    But you also don't need to work a real job while you're elected. That could be a bigger draw.

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  • [–] 48 points 11 months ago (6 children)

    Oct 16 - Daily Beast

    Top-ranking Democratic Party officials in Pennsylvania are gearing up to run against Sen. John Fetterman in a 2028 primary contest, according to a report.

    Big names in the state who could well run against the increasingly embattled incumbent include House Representatives Brendan Boyle and Chris Deluzio, along with former Congressman Conor Lamb, Axios reports, citing multiple inside sources.

    Axios added it was not clear whether Fetterman, who is understood to have ambitions of running for the White House, plans to run again for the Senate or the presidency in 2028.

    Fetterman texted Axios saying, “enjoy your clickbait!” and requested “please do not contact” in response to follow-up questions. He also shared an article citing him as one of “the least Trump-aligned Democratic lawmakers in the state.”

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  • [–] 24 points 11 months ago (1 child)
  • [–] 9 points 11 months ago

    Yeah, I got Brian Fitzpatrick as my rep, the "#1 Most Bipartisan Member of Congress" for however many years now. Still votes with Trump 51% of the time, and it's only on money things he'll break with Republicans on, very rarely ever is it a moral thing.

    Meanwhile Fetterman is polling better with Republicans (around 60% favorable) compared to with the Dems (around 50% favorable).

    Want to come up with a compromise on farm aid or disaster recovery? Go right ahead. Compromising on genocide and using the military on US soil? You better not reach across the aisle on that if you want my support. Fetterman deserves to be judged by the company he keeps.

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    [+] 25 points 11 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 child)
  • [–] 20 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (11 children)

    Goddamnit Fetterman be an actual democrat again for 5 minutes.

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  • [–] 20 points 11 months ago (1 child)

    Fetterman is a Democrat just like manchin is a Democrat, so basicly not a democrat.

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    [–] 14 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    PA has some of poorest, worst quality of life conditions I have seen in this country. They really need to boot Fetterman. Jesus, wtf?

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  • [–] 14 points 11 months ago (2 children)

    ....what? Are you sure you've been to Pennsylvania?

    Fetterman can get fucked though, I'm with you there

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  • [–] 11 points 11 months ago (3 children)

    Hope they downgrade the US’s credit reputation yet again.

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    [–] 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)
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