The federal government is now in a shutdown, and the blame game is already underway while most Americans yawn and go about their day. Polls, however, show Democrats are taking the bigger political hit, and the reasons are becoming clear.
Democrats Break Ranks
Inside the Democratic caucus, cracks were showing well before the shutdown deadline. Moderate Democrats privately urged Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to cut a deal to keep the government open. Many of them worried voters back home would not forgive them for holding essential services hostage. Surveys show nearly half of Democrats opposed shutting down the government to advance their party’s demands.
Schumer ignored those warnings. Under pressure from the progressive wing, he held firm on policy riders tied to health subsidies for illegal aliens and spending hikes. That decision, not Republican resistance, pushed Washington over the brink.
Trump’s Advantage
President Trump and Republicans offered a straightforward path to keep the lights on: a clean funding bill with no strings attached. Schumer’s refusal to accept it handed Trump a political gift. By forcing a shutdown that could have been avoided, Democrats reinforced Trump’s message that they care more about appeasing the far left than about the stability of the country.
Vice President Vance summed it up nicely this morning.
While Republicans still shoulder some blame, Democrats are clearly losing ground. A New York Times/Siena survey found that two-thirds of voters say Democrats should not be shutting down the government, while only about a quarter support Schumer’s strategy. Even within his own base, enthusiasm is weak.
For Trump, the shutdown strengthens his hand in two ways. It highlights Republican unity in pushing for a clean resolution, and it exposes Democrats as divided and beholden to their lunatic base. That contrast matters as the shutdown now provides the opportunity to perform even more cutting and trimming of the federal workforce.
The Bottom Line
This shutdown did not have to happen. Republicans were ready to keep the government running along with a handful of nervous Democrats. Schumer chose loyalty to the left over leadership. In doing so, he gave Trump and the GOP the high ground. As the shutdown continues, Democrats may find the real cost of their gamble is not just measured in furloughed workers but in lost voters next November.