'They're Totally Screwed': White House Taunts Democrats on Shutdown [View all]

[Mr. Sparkle]

Senate Democrats haven’t even surrendered yet on a government shutdown — but already White House officials are gloating about making them eat crow, almost taunting them to vote “no.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer threw down the gauntlet Wednesday, proclaiming that Republicans don’t have the 60 votes needed to keep the government open past Friday. But President Donald Trump and senior White House officials are increasingly confident Schumer will release enough centrists to put up the votes for passage, according to multiple White House officials I spoke to over the past 24 hours.

“They’re 100 percent gonna swallow it,” one White House official told me. “They’re totally screwed.” The confidence is especially noteworthy given that Schumer has yet to detail his plans. Many lawmakers in both parties are privately predicting that some sort of deal will be reached in which Senate Democrats get amendment votes in return for allowing the House-passed “continuing resolution” to advance and ultimately pass.

Still, that’s not a done deal. And given the intense pressure from the base to flip Trump the bird, there’s still plenty of time for Democrats to back away from a possible deal before Friday’s deadline. In some ways the administration looks like it’s almost itching for a shutdown and daring Democrats to touch the stove. Last month, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought notably gave agencies until Thursday to submit plans for “large-scale reductions in force.” The details could spill out hours before a shutdown and would almost certainly agitate the Democratic base even further.

What’s more, Republicans felt confident enough to pass the so-called “CR” with a few provisions favorable to them. Those included increasing spending for defense and deportations, while making small cuts elsewhere and handcuffing Democrats’ ability to force votes on Trump’s controversial tariff policies. In some ways, the White House’s posture smacks of over-confidence bordering on arrogance. During most face-offs like this — when an administration needs the votes of the opposition party for must-pass legislation — there’s typically some sort of outreach, even by the president himself.

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