Chuck Schumer Caves
Author: Greg Valliere
March 14, 2025
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY — with no leader and no agenda — now faces a bitter internal fight after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer capitulated yesterday on a budget bill that probably will avoid a government shutdown.
DEMOCRATS IN THE HOUSE, who were virtually unanimous in their opposition to a GOP budget bill, reacted furiously, as did most Democrats around the country. But Schumer apparently will win, as the party fractures.
BARRING A SENATE REVOLT TODAY, this will be still another victory for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who adroitly backed the Democrats into a corner.
FOR SCHUMER, A CHALLENGE TO HIS LEADERSHIP is virtually certain, further dividing the Democrats. He probably will get a challenge from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the radical New York liberal. And several more moderate candidates want to oust Schumer as majority leader.
SCHUMER ARGUES that a shutdown, which was looking likely just 24 hours ago, would have given Donald Trump and Elon Musk even more political power if they could blame a shutdown on Democrats. But what did Schumer have to lose? He had the votes to prevail.
WE HAVE ASSERTED FOR MONTHS that the Democrats have no leaders and no agenda — and that assessment prevails. Will the public really credit Democrats from avoiding a shutdown, or have the Republicans won a strategic victory?
THIS CAPITULATION BY SCHUMER goes a long way toward settling budget issues for six months — and frees up time on Capitol Hill to begin working on a tax bill. For the markets, this tax angle is the major take-away.
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