Republicans are feeling optimistic that voters will hold Democrats accountable for potential government shutdowns, especially as time runs short for funding the government.
Chuck Schumer, the Senate minority leader, argues that the Republicans are at fault for the looming closure, despite the challenges faced by Democrats. The GOP has proposed an expenditure bill to temporarily keep government operations running, while they also brag about having bipartisan support. Polls seem to indicate that many Americans disapprove of a shutdown.
Ohio Republican Senator Bernie Moreno stated there’s a bipartisan way to prevent the government from closing. He pointed out that some Democrats, like Maine Rep. Jared Golden and Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, have instead backed the GOP spending measure. Moreno criticized the Democrats for what he sees as an unrealistic demand of $1.5 trillion for their spending plans.
“It’s like they believe it’s more important to help those who are undocumented than to take care of rural hospitals,” he commented. “If just seven Democrats would show a little common sense, we could keep the government running and negotiate from there.”
Generally, passing any legislation in the Senate, including funding bills, needs 60 votes. Since Republicans hold a slender majority of 53 to 47 in the Senate, they will need some Democratic support to move forward. The current stalemate could lead to a shutdown if the funding runs out at 12:01 AM on Wednesday.
When asked about worries regarding the shutdown, Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn expressed uncertainty about the implications of the “clean” GOP funding bill that some Democrats backed. He remarked, “Maybe they’ll try something out and see how it goes, but I have my doubts.”
Iowa Republican Senator Chuck Grassley also shrugged off concerns about Republicans bearing the blame. “Thirteen Democrats backed a clean continuing resolution,” he noted. “So why is this time any different?”
Meanwhile, Schumer contends the Democrats are resisting the funding plan primarily because of their opposition to Trump’s agenda and the need to address several health policy issues quickly. However, a recent poll revealed that 65% of Americans feel the government shouldn’t shut down even if Democrats’ demands are unmet. Moreover, 43% of Democratic voters believe the party should avoid shutting down the government over policy disagreements.
Schumer dismissed this poll, labeling the New York Times as biased. He confidently stated that the public would likely blame Republicans for the shutdown. “You can bank on that,” he asserted.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune critiqued Schumer’s remarks in a speech, emphasizing that Democrats should have no compelling reason to trigger a government shutdown. “This is completely avoidable,” Thune remarked during a GOP press conference. “The House has passed their bill, the president is ready to sign it—it’s just about getting eight Democrats on board to push it through today.”
