Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Yes, the whole plan was too slick for their own good. They needed to pick a path, say they are shutting the government down to save people money or just let the CR pass and fight on something else.

This. Instead they did the worst thing they could've done. They allowed the shutdown to go on for 40 days, with people missing paychecks and crucial government benefits, and THEN gave in without getting any real concessions. They wasted the Good Will of the public who just handed them huge electoral victories, and yet still somehow believe people will continue to show up for them in elections, to give them power they never get around to using for our benefit.

In other words... they should not have caved.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Yes, the whole plan was too slick for their own good. They needed to pick a path, say they are shutting the government down to save people money or just let the CR pass and fight on something else.

This. Instead they did the worst thing they could've done. They allowed the shutdown to go on for 40 days, with people missing paychecks and crucial government benefits, and THEN gave in without getting any real concessions. They wasted the Good Will of the public who just handed them huge electoral victories, and yet still somehow believe people will continue to show up for them in elections, to give them power they never get around to using for our benefit.

This.
42 days and we got nothing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Yes, the whole plan was too slick for their own good. They needed to pick a path, say they are shutting the government down to save people money or just let the CR pass and fight on something else.

This. Instead they did the worst thing they could've done. They allowed the shutdown to go on for 40 days, with people missing paychecks and crucial government benefits, and THEN gave in without getting any real concessions. They wasted the Good Will of the public who just handed them huge electoral victories, and yet still somehow believe people will continue to show up for them in elections, to give them power they never get around to using for our benefit.

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Yes, the whole plan was too slick for their own good. They needed to pick a path, say they are shutting the government down to save people money or just let the CR pass and fight on something else.

One good thing that came out of this was increased visibility of the SNAP program.

Not many people were aware that over 40 million people were on it or that soft drinks was the number one item purchased.

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Not one Dem said they were powerless. Most said "we won't green light any budget because Trump is not even taking Congress' approved spending in mind." Others when asked why they weren't ending it, "said all 3 branches of this government are MAGA, and it's on them to negotiate, not the minority party." Many others still said, "MAGA has shut down the house, what does that tell you about trying to reach an agreement?"

Anyone with basic knowledge knew that it comes down to votes, and now you know some went rogue. This is not the same thing as your thesis: "the all-mighty powerful Dems."

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Well, they were only powerless to stop the shutdown if you accept the premise that Americans should have affordable health insurance. But Trump forced them to choose between that premise and the premise that Americans should have affordable food. He really does make the best deals, bigly.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry. Sure looks like it to me that Dems are at fault.

No one wins with shutdowns. No one should hold Feds hostage. No one should hold SNAP recipients hostage.

Find a moral way to fight.

What's immoral about refusing to supply votes for a bill your voters don't want?

Sorry. Sure looks like it to me that Dems are at fault.

No one wins with shutdowns. No one should hold Feds hostage. No one should hold SNAP recipients hostage.

Find a moral way to fight.

It was never that they were powerless. It was that the responsibility to negotiate and to broker a deal to prevent or end the shutdown belonged to the majority party, the Republicans. The fact that they chose not to negotiate whatsoever was a bullying tactic.

Anyone suggesting Democrats are responsible for the shutdown are suggesting they had a responsibility be bullied into voting for a bill that did not meet the needs of their constituents. They did not.

However, they did in the end allow themselves to be bullied into voting for a bill that does not serve the interests or desires of the people they represent. This is why people are angry. Because they gave in to the bullying tactics and voted for a bill that harms their voters, who just gave them sweeping victories across the country indicating strong support for their stance. They threw all of that away by capitulating, for no apparent reason other than to play politics.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

I had the same thought but not shared it.

Yes and I said the exact same thing to my husband.

They weren't powerless they had their hands on the hotwire and ground the whole time.

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

I had the same thought but not shared it.

Anonymous wrote:I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?

Sigh. No, that is not how this works. The Democrats were using the only means they had to counter Trump's aggressive use of executive power (for example, mass firings, de-funding already funded programs, and so on). The position of the Democrats was to re-assert Congress's constitution al "power of the purse" against Trump unilaterally making decisions to alter spending levels and cut programs. No one denies that the Democrats could have prostrated themselves and gone along. How can we deny it when we have seen it happen?!

I know we have (mostly) all been true to the narrative that the repugs control both houses and the WH so this whole shutdown is 100% their fault; they are the ones who are solely responsible for all the suffering.

But the complaining that “we caved,” and that we were the ones with the power to end this all along,

- doesn’t that directly counter our original narrative that we were powerless to stop this repug shutdown?