Republicans will need Democrats’ help to pass funding bill by 14 March as hard-right lawmakers push to cut costs

Summary

With a government shutdown looming, Democrats are debating whether to use it as leverage against Trump’s sweeping federal cuts.

Some argue withholding support for a funding bill could challenge Trump’s radical restructuring, including mass firings and agency shutdowns.

The GOP-controlled Congress must secure Democratic votes to pass a funding bill, but hard-right demands complicate negotiations.

Concerns grow that Trump may exploit a shutdown to sideline federal agencies, raising fears that this could be the most disruptive shutdown yet.

  • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
    31·
    6 days ago

    There’s a win if the Democrats really want one. Shutting down the government stops Doge, and cuts more than musk could ever dream of. They can frame it as Republicans trying to spend money and Democrats being about responsibility. Make it about a failure of Trump’s leadership.

    It’s a tough line to walk, because a prolonged shutdown would possibly backfire, but it’s probably worth the risk. Shutdowns do tend to hurt the party in power more than the opposition.

    This is a way to slam the brakes on Trump and be an opposition party if they have the spine for it.

    • Fredthefishlord@lemmy.blahaj.zone
      3·
      6 days ago

      Genuinely, why do you think shutting down the government would stop doge??? You know they can just walk in and turn on computers themselves… And they’ll just pay anyone who needs to put in a password claiming they’re essential…

      • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
        1·
        6 days ago

        It puts them in the tough spot of declaring Doge essential. That gives a huge opening for the Democrats to attack, when 80% of the government is shut down, that there is meaningful fraud in what Trump kept open. It’s also going to be hard to get someone to come in to unlock things when they aren’t getting paid. Even essential employees don’t get paid in a shutdown, they get back pay after like everyone else when Congress approves it.