Concise Summary:
Senator Chuck Schumer defied expectations by agreeing to vote for the Republican-written spending bill to prevent a government shutdown. This move surprised many Democrats who had previously called for unified opposition to the bill, arguing that blocking it would only empower President Trump and his allies. Schumer instead believes allowing the GOP bill will lead to a less damaging outcome than a potential shutdown which he believes would further empower Trump and Elon Musk. Despite concerns within his own party, Schumer hopes to garner enough Democratic votes to pass the measure and avert a government shutdown.
Key Points:
- Senator Chuck Schumer defied the Democratic party and voted to support a Republican-written spending bill, despite calls for unity from within his own party.
- Schumer argued that blocking the bill would lead to a government shutdown, which he believed would benefit President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to defund federal programs.
- Schumer’s decision came after Democrats had previously demanded a united front against the legislation, which many saw as harmful due to its partisan nature and lack of focus on broader needs.
- Schumer’s move involved securing enough Democratic votes to overcome any potential filibuster from his own party members, indicating his commitment to passing the bill despite internal dissent.
- The vote to proceed with the Republican-written spending bill was taken in direct opposition to President Trump and a number of progressive activists within the Democratic Party, signaling a shift in strategy for the Democrats.
Archive Links:
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archive.is: https://archive.is/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/government-shutdown-senate-democrats.html
archive.ph: https://archive.ph/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/government-shutdown-senate-democrats.html
Original Link: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/us/government-shutdown-senate-democrats.html
User Message: Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the minority leader, broke with his party on Thursday and lined up enough Democrats to advance a Republican-written bill to keep federal funding flowing past a midnight Friday deadline, arguing that Democrats could not allow a government shutdown that many of them have demanded.
In a shutdown, Mr. Schumer said, “the Trump administration would have full authority to deem whole agencies, programs and personnel nonessential, furloughing staff with no promise that they would ever be rehired.”
He also warned that if the government closed, Mr. Trump and Republicans would have no incentive to reopen it, since they could selectively fund “their favorite departments and agencies, while leaving other vital services that they don’t like to languish.”
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