Democrats emboldened by election results mobilize against centrists' emerging shutdown deal

[Emile]

Sen. Bernie Sanders speaks during a press conference at the Capitol in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. Hours before the first major elections since President Donald Trump’s win last November, Sen. Bernie Sanders offered a stern warning for Democrats about the party’s closed-door talks to end the shutdown.

Inside a tense, three-hour meeting at the Capitol on Tuesday, a fiery Sanders urged Democrats not to yield to Republicans without a real victory on health care. The Vermont independent was armed with fresh polling from a Democratic-aligned firm that showed voters would punish the party for giving up with nothing in return, according to a person familiar with his remarks.

By Wednesday morning, Sanders and his colleagues in Congress pointed to Democrats’ blow-out victories — including in Virginia, a state with thousands of furloughed federal workers — as the most powerful evidence yet they needed to keep fighting.

“It would be very strange if on the heels of the American people rewarding Democrats for standing up and fighting, we surrendered without getting anything,” Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said. “I think we are in an enormously strong position right now.”

Read more at: https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/05/politics/democrats-shutdown-deal-elections

[JBTaurus83]

1. The fact

That they are even considering caving is insane. Democrats are always afraid of their own shadow, it gets so tiring.

[democrank]

2. If we don't fight them now we will pay a heavy price.

What a mistake it would be to sacrifice our newly-earned momentum.

[Emile]

4. Exactly

[bucolic_frolic]

3. SOTH Johnson refuses to convene the House, in effect trying to jam the House budget

through the Senate. This is a real stalemate. It's historically been the other way around, the Senate makes changes and the House approves. This too is a GOP power grab, Johnson being used by Trump?

It's pretty evident now that the high water mark of MAGA rule is over. So Thune won't relinquish the filibuster because the GOP will need it in '27 or '29. Trump wants the opposite, finish off democracy now.

You have an emerging dictatorship if the rights of the minority are not protected. The right to be heard, to matter.

[Martin68]

5. The shutdown is a rotting albatros around Republican's necks. Leave it there to decompose and smell to high heavens.

[KPN]

6. If Dem Senate centrists fold and make a deal, I'm going to have a hard time not biting the bullet and leaving

the party officially. Why? Because our party will fade overtime as a result anyway. Too many have been disenchanted with fiscally moderate Democrats, "third way" economics and their impact on middle and lower class Americans for far too long. Compromising with this radically-right Republican House majority push a lot of people over the ledge.

Flame away ... as a life long 74 year old Democrat, just saying!

[duckworth969]

14. Me too

Yeah, I will finally have had my fill.

All the hard work at holding the line, sacrificing resources, only to be undone by selfish senators who think they know better. Their arrogance is just too much.

I sent Ossoff and Kelly $ for their campaigns. If they fold, no more $ from me.

[slightlv]

19. I'm sure not going to flame you, KPN...

I feel exactly the same way you do... and I have, now, for quite a while. All that time, the centrists were dissing us "progressives" as wanting ponies for everyone, etc., etc., etc.,... just like the republicans talk about us. It really jacked my jaws then, and it still does. When people vote progressives into office, it's said it's because there's no other choice, etc. I say No... it's because when the policies are actually discussed, people WANT the progressive policies. The fact the party, as a whole, won't back those policies hurts us with the general public... just as we've hurt ourselves where unions were concerned; not counting a few specific Democrats in office. One thing that worries me is we've got an entire generation or more of young democrats who've been exposed mostly to centrist democratic priorities. And these, I say, are nothing more than DINO... they're democrat-lite financial policies, based around the needs and desires of the well-to-do. I can recognize and congratulate them for turning away from the culture war stupidity, but their financial policies, which sound so much like Republican's, I don't have to agree with and can actively work against. We need much more FDR and Lyndon Johnson than we do Bill Clinton, and even Obama. He's one of those who were brought up in and rose up through the third-way politicos of the democratic party. It doesn't mean I don't like either of these men... I did and I still do. I have a lot of respect for them as men in the party... but I think they got sold a bag of goods that borders on the Prosperity Gospel for Democrats. And I detest that!

[OldBaldy1701E]

20. "Give to your food banks. Find neighbors who need help and share. If we work together, we can do this."

Awesome. That I what we needed to be doing from the start. Building co-op situations in every city and town. Support those who need it. Make local safety nets because the Federal one is gone.

And then, stop supporting any aspect of the regime. Which includes giving them any money like taxes, fees, etc. No more money until they stop with the dictatorship and go to jail like most of them were supposed to do a long time ago.

(Now, let's see if you get as much crap from suggesting this as I did when I suggested this. Any aspect of this. One may not agree with the second part [which is a bit scary, but okay], but I am still not sure why the first part was so easily dismissed.)

[bronxiteforever]

7. If you wind up surrendering what was the point?

Didn’t Tuesday wake these centrists up? Why are these Democrats even in politics? So you vote to dismantle the signature achievement of President Obama?

The GOP controls everything. Johnson has the House on an extended vacation with pay and benefits. Billions to Argentina. Gold ballrooms, Great Gatsby parties. The commercials write themselves. Fight is the password of today.

This politics of surrender is so fantastically stupid I am stunned. I mean I understand Senator Featherduster from Pennsylvania being a nitwit but Schumer needs to listen to Murphy. I am optimistic he will.

[Biglinda 52]

8. If they cave...

the DNC can kiss any money goodbye-no one will donate. The party will collapse. Young people will leave in droves. Let the airspace go down-it's going to help the general strike this November. Give to your food banks. Find neighbors who need help and share. If we work together, we can do this.

These senators know darn well that the GOP can use the nuclear option and pass this CR on their own. They don't need Dems. So why aren't they doing it? They want us to cave.

Save the ACA and those millions of people who will lose their health care.

[republianmushroom]

9. Stop the DINO"s .

[Mad_Machine76]

10. Isn't the CR

only good until November 21st at this point? We could end the shutdown and have another one almost immediately

[Uncle Joe]

11. It's a decent article but I take issue with the last paragraph

“A winning Trump is less dangerous than a losing Trump. People forget this. If Rs look they they’ll lose midterms, his pressure on filibuster to pass agenda before he leaves office will be insane,” one Senate GOP aide said in a text to CNN. “Trump is about to throw everything at Congress. Especially if he doesn’t get his way on tariffs.”

"A winning Trump" put the dictator wannabe in the White House in the first place.

The greatest danger isn't posed by him, but by a non-checking and non-balancing, supplicating Republican controlled Congress which has basically rolled on its back and urinated on itself like a PTSD suffering dog.

A losing Republican Congress is less dangerous than a winning one as they have done nothing but propose party over nation and democracy at any cost.

The only way the GOP can come back from the abyss is turn their gaze from it and focus on the American Nation as a whole for a change.

Thanks for the thread Emile

[quakerboy]

12. I encourage all to write the DSCC

And your states senators, where relevant. Demand they hold strong and make it clear we hold them responsible not just as individuals but as a group.

[Deminpenn]

13. This is why Schumer needs to introduce

a resolution to end the legislative fillibuster right now. Make the Rs put their money where their mouths are that they want to end the shutdown.
Dems are giving them a way to get everything they want.

Heck Schumer can even propose a carve out specifically for this bill only. Let the Rs vote it down. Then Rs own everything plus the shutdown.

[Demsrule86]

21. No..bad idea. They would be able to pass

What they. They want the ACA gone….millions depend on it. It endorses the GOP in a way. Democrats will never forgive this. And Fetterman should face a primary.

[Demsrule86]

24. No they can't be trusted.

[Deminpenn]

25. Rs are dopes

They want to keep the legislative fillibuster because they want to be able to block progressive bills. But they are too stupid to figure out they could nuke the filibuster for this vote only, then reinstate it. Or that they could vote a carve out for CRs just as has been done for other things like judges.

[KPN]

15. If Schumer can't use his leadership to corral centrists

on this, he needs to be replaced. We need a strong leader, not an appeaser.

[BlueWavePsych]

16. Kick

[red dog 1]

17. "House Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated his position that he would not commit to a vote on the subsidies

in the lower chamber, underlying concerns from some Democrats that a future Senate vote on health care would go nowhere, even if it's successful."
https://cbsnews.com/live-updates/government-shutdown-latest-senate-talks-flights/

[Demsrule86]

23. It is a trap. We must loudly

Blame the GOP and tell folks the real purpose is to destroy the ACA. WE WOLL NEVER GET IT BACK.

[drray23]

27. Johnson will fall in line

If Thune gets to an agreement and Trump backs him since he is getting sick of the shutdown, Johnson will be told to haul ass back to DC and convene the house to pass it.

[electric_blue68]

18. I hope they don't cave, but what good is it If they do - and then you Withold donations in '26 ...

how the hell is that going to help get Dems elected in 2026? Huh? We freaking need to get Congress back!

Unless you think (and it might be true) they'll have enough funds for campaigning anyway.

[Demsrule86]

22. I would never forgive them.

People will die. This isn’t politics.

[Jbraybarten]

26. I don't seeing Democrats (or the country) benefitting from a "deal"

I mean, yeah, the government being open is good and of course Federal employees working is great, but if the sacrifice is for nothing then that's a big problem.

[yorkster]

28. Love the Chris Murphy quote.

[gulliver]

29. Drilling holes in the boat hull to let the water out.

Centrists (Spanberger and Sherrill) won the governor elections in Virginia and New Jersey. That's two statewide elections won by fielding electable, Democratic centrist candidates. I hardly think that means the signal to the party was to mobilize against centrists in any way whatsoever.

[electric_blue68]

30. I did call Sen Schumer's Office (my Sen) to Not go for deal.