President Trump wants Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution that keeps the government open through late November. That resolution has already made it through the House. But Senate Democrats appear dug in, ready to deny Republicans the (at least) seven votes needed to break a filibuster and move the bill to the president’s desk.
It’s a showdown Democrats would probably regret. You shut down government only when you’re sure you have the public on your side and the ability to explain clearly why you’re taking such a drastic step. In this case, the Democrats can’t really claim to have either.
If you’re looking for polls that indicate voters would blame Republicans for a shutdown, they’re out there. If you’re looking for polls indicating that they’d blame Democrats, you can find those too.
More interesting, perhaps, is a poll conducted by YouGov and Americans for Prosperity. Among its findings: 61 percent of voters think shutdowns hurt Congress’s ability to help the country succeed. And therein lies the Democrats’ problem: Americans want Congress to fix our country’s problems, not reflexively battle across the political aisle.
Less than a year ago, Americans decisively elected Mr. Trump based on, among other things, his promises to cut taxes and do away with wasteful government spending. After enacting the president’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act just a few months ago, Congress has the relatively simple task of keeping the government open without larding on billions for Medicaid spending.
Yet congressional Democratic leaders seem determined to close the government to try to force Republicans to agree to just that.
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The post Why a Government Shutdown Favors Trump appeared first on New York Times.
