4w ago

Democrats unflinching in shutdown strategy, blaming Trump as food aid threatens to run dry

www.cnn.com

Democrats unflinching in shutdown strategy, blaming Trump with millions at risk of losing food aid | CNN Politics

Congressional Democrats are marching in lockstep into the fourth week of a government shutdown, even as lawmakers brace for what could be the most painful point yet — a cutoff in federal food aid for more than 40 million people.

But Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are signaling that there will be no change in strategy: Democrats won’t provide the votes to reopen the government unless their demands over health care are met. And they’re increasingly hammering President Donald Trump for his failure to sit down to negotiate with Democrats, while instead embarking on his second foreign trip so far during the shutdown.

“This is all Trump,” a visibly frustrated Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont told CNN. “Trump’s not engaged. Republicans won’t negotiate,” Welch said, arguing that Trump’s trip to Asia this week as “an indication of how he could care less.”

37 comments

https://bsky.app/profile/abraham.bsky.social/post/3m44siauvas2b
If I were running the DNC, there would be Democratic Party sponsored food relief banks across the country right now that specifically welcomed anyone regardless of party affiliation.
Along with the food, there could be voter registration and links to runforsomething.net
- This is honestly genius so of course the DNC won’t do it.
  
  The DNC is so spineless it's amazing they are at least not caving on the budget. Let's hope they carry this fight to the end.
  
  I love me some DNC establishment bashing, but where is all this free food supposed to come from? As far as I'm aware they still haven't paid off the debts from the Harris campaign.
- Pretty sure that would violate laws against "buying" votes, but what the hell are Republicans going to do? Shutting them down would look bad even to their voters.
  
  Do stupid shit like the Republicans do, like "oh we are unaffiliated and just like to set up our booths here because of the foot traffic". They juke and jive our entire justice system with 5 year old tactics but everyone else is scared to look improper.
  
  Kat Abu is running for Congress in Illinois and running a campaign based on doing good community service with campaign donations. She claimed she checked it all out and it's perfectly legal. I think as long as it's not limited by party or in exchange for a voting promise it's fine.
  https://www.goodnewsinstead.com/culture/gen-z-candidate-uses-campaign-funds-to-feed-those-in-need
  
  Honestly that's the part of this suggestion I'm not sure about, but regardless of whether that part's cool, Dems should be setting up food distribution in places that are going to be the worst hit by this.
- If they would only have that much balls. Hell here in WNC there were hunting parties trying go after FEMA last year. I don't know if the MAGA rural meth-heads would have enough class to even thanks the people helping them.
- Eh. Lot of Americans already benefit from Democrat created social systems but then turn around and demonize socialism and refuse to vote for Democrats.
  So you'd just end up feeding a bunch of ignorant, thankless Trump supporters that will continue voting Republican despite being starved by them.
Isn't Donvict off in Asia doing the double-jerkoff dance?
Seriously, I wish the Democrats were running ads showing the contrast - show the food banks running out of food, while this asshole tells everyone he is focused on destroying the east wing so he can put in a fucking ballroom and flitting off to Asia to dance the night away.
I mean this is pretty simple for Democrats.
Americans decided to tell Democrats to go fuck themselves after Biden had a legislatively successful presidency in which he tried (and in many cases succeeded) to pass a ton of legislation to help Americans. Not to mention all the historical data proving how much better Democrats are for average Americans than Republicans.
It was a slap in the face from the ignorant American electorate.
So now Democrats just have to sit back and let Americans find out what happens when they abandon Democrats and put all their eggs in the Republican basket. Let them suffer until they learn the error of their ways....or don't. Cuz this is America and it's pretty stupid so there may not be any lessons learned.
They really don't have to do anything. And shouldn't.
- People are about to starve and this guy is out here arguing grammar.
  
  That's a good point. But also "I could care less" is WRONG, so......
- Meh, I've typically just heard it as 'I could care less... but not by much' in my head so no need for the pedantic corrections.
- Of course, the false premise here is that the English language is logical
- You probably also think you say Gif the right way!
Fascist republicans control all levels of government but it’s the Democrats fault? Please.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m starting to think none of them care about the people within the borders of the US.
- Okay neither side is great but one side is holding out to provide healthcare to Americans. You can see how they're not the same.
  
  Yeah, I get that — and I actually agree one side talks a lot more about helping people. But here’s the thing: you can be outwardly altruistic and still be a cunt.
  Both parties survive on the same donor ecosystem. The difference isn’t who they take money from — it’s the story they tell about it afterward. One wraps it in compassion, the other in capitalism, but the cash spends the same.
  Take healthcare — the Affordable Care Act was written with heavy input from insurance and pharma lobbyists to make sure private industry stayed in control. So yeah, it expanded coverage, but it also locked in the same profit system. That’s not a revolution; that’s a maintenance plan.
  So when people say “they’re not the same,” I think of the system as a bird — one wing blue, one wing red. They flap in different directions, but they’re attached to the same body, and that bird just keeps flying higher and higher on corporate air currents.
  I’m not saying there’s no difference in ideals or rhetoric, but if both wings answer to the same flight plan — the same donors, the same industries — then arguing which wing is nobler misses the point. The problem isn’t the feathers; it’s the bird.
- Don't talk like that, the "they're not the same" people will come for you.
  
  I think we got them. These are my most downvoted comments. Just so much winning I can’t stand it. I only make the best comments. They are perfect. Everyone says it.
  
  To he fair, one wears red, the other blue. It’s like a knock-off version of bloods vs crips at this point.
Maybe they're all in cahoots, starve out the impoverished and disenfranchised
- Alternatively this type of bothsiderism while one side is literally disappearing marginalized people off the streets and doing who knows what with them, while doing corruption on a scale never seen, only hurts all that you believe in and encourages apathy.
  
  You're actually a fool if you think the Democrats care about you. Democrats are just Republicans in blue coats with Pride pins. Don't be fooled. They both worship the God that is money.
I'm still confused about why the democrats are actually doing the right thing here
- Because what do they have to lose? Johnson is ramming every negative policy through with every legitimate and dirty method out there. The basic government institutions that support our society are being dismantled or sold off to the highest oligarch with crony capitalism. Open corruption by trump in pardoning obvious unapologetic criminals that promise trump fealty or lick the boot. trump is literally tearing down the White House (thats something we only allow Canada to do historically). Johnson refuses to seat a Democratically elected Democrat representative for over a month.
  What do Democratic lawmakers have to lose at this point?
- Because even rich people are losing money under Trump.
  
  No, just the progressive ones who invested in renewables. Sucks to live in a Petro state.
- Because the Republicans control all 3 branches of government. The The Republicans say they dont have the money to pay all the government workers, while they have been on paid vacation for over a month, and gave Argentina 40billion dollars because Trumps wall street buddies have investments there... And... Little Johnson doesn't want to seat an elected House Representative because she will tip the vote to release the Epstein Files... And then there's health care....take your pick... Those are the facts... And here is my opinion... This is what happens when you give a bunch of morons control of a government... Billionaires... Rich, Racist, Bigots, led by a butt-hurt felon, pedophile wannabe-dictator...

37 comments