Salon: Schumer suggests Senate Democrats will collaborate with Republicans to avoid government shutdown

[Dennis Donovan]

Salon - Schumer suggests Senate Democrats will collaborate with Republicans to avoid government shutdown

"It is incumbent on responsible Republicans to get serious and work in a bipartisan fashion," Schumer said

By Charles R. Davis
News Editor
Published February 10, 2025 1:16PM (EST)

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday "Democrats stand ready" to help avoid a government shutdown next month, writing in a letter to colleagues that his caucus "will use our votes to help steady the ship."

Congress has until March 14 to pass another continuing resolution that would extend federal spending. But despite controlling the House and Senate, Republicans appear unable to pass such a measure without significant Democratic support. Last week House Speaker Mike Johnson said he was "trying to get a top-line number" for such a resolution but complained that Democrats had to date been "unresponsive."

The fight comes after President Donald Trump and his allies have claimed the right to ignore laws passed by Congress and unilaterally cancel funding it has authorized. A federal judge said Monday that the Trump administration is defying a court order and continuing to withhold congressionally-approved funding, a decision that follows the illegal dismantling of a federal agency, USAID.

In his Feb. 10 letter, obtained by Politico, Schumer said he was determined to "hold the Trump Administration accountable for its lawless actions." But, he said, that would not extend to risking a government closure.

"Congressional Republicans, despite their bluster, know full well that governing requires bipartisan negotiation and cooperation," Schumer wrote. "Of course, legislation in the Senate requires 60 votes and Senate Democrats will use our votes to help steady the ship for the American people in these turbulent times. It is incumbent on responsible Republicans to get serious and work in a bipartisan fashion to avoid a Trump Shutdown."

/snip

[AStern]

1. Schumer and Jefferies have been a major disappointment the past several weeks, like they couldn't care less...

about Democracy.

[JohnSJ]

2. The problem is Senator Schumer the rethugs in congress do not accept bipartisan agreements. They actually want to burn

the whole country down. This should be quite obvious with the confirmations of his unqualified nominations along with his blatant executive orders ignoring judicial rulings.

As far as the rethugs in congress are concerned it is either all or nothing. There is no compromise, and the sooner Congressional Democrats realize that, only then perhaps with the rethugs realize we are not bluffing.

You have to stand up to bullies.

[ananda]

34. Agree. Standing up to bullies has always worked for me.

It really does work.

[BannonsLiver]

3. Yeah let's just throw the only chip we have in the garbage.

Schumer is Neville Chamberlain x10.

He just doesn’t get it and never will. Forever in the “my honorable friend across the aisle” era of politics.

[Deuxcents]

33. Yeah..you tell em, Schumer

[Celerity]

46. agree

[JustAnotherGen]

4. It would really help

If New Yorkers would hammer him with phone calls the same way New Jersey does our two Senators.

HAMMER him until he gets the message.

[Wicked Blue]

6. Sen. Andy Kim recently stated he's willing to have a shutdown nt

[JustAnotherGen]

23. Thank god

I saw that on threads yesterday. I think Sue Altman must have stressed to him that he's pissing people off.

[electric_blue68]

40. Oh, I've been calling, and emailing...

NYC'r here.

[tritsofme]

5. Schumer is laying to groundwork for Republicans to shoulder all of the blame for the coming shutdown.

It would be incredibly dumb to come out advocating for a government shutdown.

Schumer is playing this the right way.

[Mysterian]

10. I think you're right

I just hope Schumer knows we're in a fight for survival against ruthless, evil people.

[Voltaire2]

12. Yes he's keeping his powder dry while playing 3-D chess at a gun fight.

[tritsofme]

19. No, Republicans are barreling towards a shutdown all on their own.

Why mix up the messaging and make it look like it is Democrats who want a shutdown? That would be pretty dumb.

[Think. Again.]

13. Ha! Like that ever mattered.

[Phoenix61]

28. IMHO, he's framing the narrative by calling it a Trump Shutdown.

and calling on responsible republicans to ensure that doesn’t happen.

[tritsofme]

30. Exactly, framing this as weakness from Schumer is just dishonest.

[Mossfern]

47. That's what I was thinking

but I could be wrong.

[PatrickforB]

7. Why???? Shut it down and make the GOP own it. Time to GROW A SPINE CHUCK. n/t

[Exp]

25. I think a shut down is what TSF wants. Easier to install his fascist goons and TSF would be the hero forcing the gov.

open again.

[Tickle]

41. You right 👍 NT

[valleyrogue]

44. That is not how it would happen, and I think you know it.

If the Democrats force a shutdown, then they will be blamed.

I don't know why people can't see this.

Same thing with the filibuster. People around here were wanting to get rid of it, but there is a reason why it is there. If you have a minority in the Senate, you have at least some clout.

[Orrex]

8. Step one will be to concede to all of Trump's current demands

Heck, concede to ones he hasn't even made yet, just to be sure.

Then of course Trump will act in good faith and negotiate honorably.

[dsc]

9. We shouldn't filibuster but we also shouldn't supply even one vote

The people voted for unified GOP government and that is what they should get. Dems should flat out say, either you write a bill that a majority of us can vote for or you get zero votes was my original line but given Trump's behavior, I don't trust any law we may pass so no votes, no filibuster.

[Voltaire2]

11. we are doomed.

Our leaders are stuck in 1994.

[milestogo]

14. Schumer just doesn't get it.

[Hekate]

15. Schumer & Jeffries know in their bones that a govt shutdown will hurt everyone

[Think. Again.]

17. ...much less than a fascist take over would.

[Bettie]

18. So, he's going to fold like a cheap suit

and give in to whatever they demand and stand and smile next to them as they berate and demean Democrats with a smile on his face.

I guess that really is the best he can do.

[pfitz59]

20. Whatever budget they pass Vought will impound.

He has said so repeatedly. Let Musk and the tech bros fund government.

[Wiz Imp]

21. Misleading headline

He didn't say or imply that Democrats will vote for a ridiculous Republican budget. He's saying the Democrats are willing to vote for something reasonable like another CR with the same terms. Schumer is not suggesting that Democrats will vote for a budget that eliminates all the funding Musk & Doge are trying to get rid of.

[tritsofme]

22. Exactly, his statement is clear as day. Doesn't stop bad faith actors from trying to smear him.

[Exp]

24. A shut down will make things easier for the Heist House to install their goons. Let's get rid of the debt ceiling

all together so the Pukes can't use it in the future, that is assuming we get to vote TSF out before he dies.

[DSandra]

26. Still deciding to keep with Neville Chamberlain rather than getting Winston Churchill...

[marble falls]

37. In the end, we are too big to fail. But we do need to defend ourselves from would be authoritarians.

[crud]

29. Dems need to pick a hill to die on

They need one issue that is very popular with the public that will put the r's in a box. Use the shut down as leverage and then campaign like hell on that issue with message discipline. Maybe the issue could be expansion or protection of SS and Medicare/medicaid, or sending musk to mars.

[bucolic_frolic]

31. Blame Republicans. They can't pass their own budget. And want us to fund government collapse. /nt

[Tarzanrock]

32. Vichy appeasement to a Nazi Fascist government ...

... is never the way to go. What does it take to get these guys to fight?

[marble falls]

48. Vichy didn't workout well for the French, either.

[GreenWave]

35. Since the other side is no longer republican, just drop the r in friend and you get what they are: fiends.

[Nanjeanne]

38. Kill me now.....................................

[The Third Doctor]

39. Schumer needs to retire. We need fighters in congress

[tavernier]

42. Schumer wants to "help steady the ship"

I wonder if he hasn’t yet noticed that big hole in the hull…

[Mountainguy]

45. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt

that he's smart enough to not announce that he's going to help shutdown the government a month ahead of time.

Say you're going to work with them, blah blah blah, but then say they aren't willing to negotiate and that the shutdown is on them.