Democrats are all-in--so far--on their shutdown strategy.
Given how weak they are as a party, they rightly believe that they need to find a way to turn the "Narrative" against Donald Trump using one of the few tools they have in their toolbox: the filibuster, which gives them power to stall budget negotiations in the Senate.
Hence the shutdown. The House has passed a clean continuing resolution, but Senate Democrats have refused to allow government funding to flow at FY 2024 levels until bills can be passed in regular order (or in yet another abominable garbage bill). They believe that forcing a government shutdown will create pain in the populace, and the blame for that pain will fall to Trump.
It's a strategy that has worked for them in the past, but this time around it has failed to move the needle for them.
WOW: Despite the rantings and ravings of the RADICAL left and media, the SCHUMER SHUTDOWN has NOT harmed Trump's approval rating, it has actually INCREASEDpic.twitter.com/BsERGjpgrd
— Brendon Leslie (@BrendonLeslie) October 20, 2025
There are a ton of reasons why this strategy has not worked, despite the entire establishment rallying to their cause. Trump has owned the news cycle due to his whirlwind activity. He has been flying the world making peace, and he has the unique ability to capture people's attention.
Who would you rather pay attention to, Donald Trump or Chuck Schumer?
Then there is the fact that the Democrats can't stick to a message. While they keep on pounding the idea that the shutdown is the most important issue of the day, they sure don't act like it. They hold news conferences on the issue, but are distracted by silly protests such as the No Kings rally, can't find a counter-message to Trump's foreign policy successes, are on clean-up duty for Zohran Mamdani, Abigail Spanberger, Jay Jones, Jersey Mikie Sherrill, whining about the Voting Rights Act, and babble on about Young Republicans.
When ordinary people see Democrats, they all sound like this:
In honor of No Kings today, here is my favorite interview of all time. 10 seconds of pure glory. pic.twitter.com/jypj2HfWsI
— Jeff Hunt (@jeffhunt) October 18, 2025
Trump has a way of keeping eyes glued on him, and the government shutdown seems like just another in a long line of Democrat moves to make him seem awful. We've heard it all before, and it is boring. Trump is not boring, and by now people can't tell the difference between Democrats whining and using hyperbole and a real problem. And, for most people, the shutdown isn't a problem, anyway.
The irony is that the biggest real issue around which Democrats and Republicans could likely find some compromise once the shutdown is over is the expiring Obamacare subsidies. The problem itself was created by Obamacare's extraordinarily bad design, and the subsidies were always set to expire, but it's likely that Trump doesn't want a massive bump in health care costs on his watch.
Democrats are wrong on the policy--the problem is that Obamacare needs to be repealed and replaced with a more rational system--but right on the politics and the Republicans know it. The Democrats probably don't want to find a way to limit the blow, whatever they say.
Trump and the Republicans have no real incentive to give in any time soon. Expect another week, at least, until the Democrats throw in the towel. It is their constituents who are taking most of the damage, and Trump is riding high. There are rumblings that Mike Johnson may throw them a bone to give them an excuse to give in--that's politics--but the Democrats will win no substantive or political victory.
Six weeks ago it looked like Democrats might may some hay this November, but things don't look so hot right now.
🚨 BREAKING: Trump-endorsed Jack Ciattarelli is SURGING into the final stretch for New Jersey governor
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 19, 2025
He's now within the MARGIN OF ERROR after being down 7 points weeks ago versus Mikie Sherrill (D)
NJ is WINNABLE. Early voting starts next SATURDAY - go vote! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/txxlZzddm5
The Virginia governor's race still looks pretty good for them, but New Jersey is slipping away. They may still win, but even if they do it will not be a decisive rejection of Trump. He is holding firm in the polls, and the Democrats look like losers.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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