The Government Shutdown is about to end.
Here is the Democratic thinking on direction, strategy, and who can tick off wins, and who loses (from their perspective):
There will be a vote soon ending the shutdown. It will extend funding until January 31. It will include three small appropriations bills. It gives us a vote on the ACA.
The good things: January 31 is a fine date. It lets the big appropriations bills get finished. The more approps bills we pass the better. They undo Trump cuts, limit Trump mischief, and include real anti-Trump guardrails. The approps bills in the CR do all that, though small, sending a good signal. The ACA vote can be soon, since we went straight to our best offer already; and how we’ve handled this has Rs WAY on their heels on healthcare.
The political context: We dramatically changed the narrative, contributing to the recent blue wave. We ended the shutdown before people soured on us. Trump showed his really nasty true colors to Americans on SNAP. They can still screw us on ACA vote, but they’re in a huge hole and know it. The appropriations bills will be a big deal as they proceed. January 31 is not all that far if they Lucy us with the football.
The wins: If we get ACA soon this is a win. If we get the big Approps bills this is a win. If they screw us this is a war they will lose. Let’s land those wins. D on D violence is strategically self-injurious.
–– Steve Clemons
