The Trump administration increasingly mirrors an authoritarian regime, with its seemingly arbitary attacks on perceived enemies and the favoritism shown to violent allies through pardons and military honors. The President appears to extort media outlets for advantageous coverage and blackmails law firms for costless services. The unilateral revocation of congressionally mandated spending and the dismissal of federally protected civil servants provide examples of his despotic tendencies. Additionally, his imposition of federal control over municipal police forces empowers law enforcement agencies to act with impunity.
Such behavior leaves no doubt about Trump’s disregard for democracy and the rule of law. This has also become the guiding principle of the administration he has put together. The quandary is the Democratic party’s reduced capacity to challenge these developments due to their lack of control over either house of Congress or the Supreme Court, barring three allies.
The Democrats do, however, hold a potential leverage in their capacity to filibuster Senate bills. With present rules stipulating 60 votes to break a filibuster and the GOP commanding only 53, the Democrats can threaten to forestall the passage of a new budget unless specific concessions are made.
An impasse could trigger a government shutdown if an agreement isn’t reached before the current budget expires on September 30, signaling a potential suspension of countless public services. Some factions within the Democratic party advocate for this path, claiming the preservation of democracy to be the ultimate goal.
Ezra Klein, in his New York Times piece, insists that the party should bring about a government shutdown to impel the GOP to institute checks on Trump’s undeniable power. A strategic analysis of the situation, however, readily reveals the fallacy in this plan. It is quite unlikely that the GOP members would risk upsetting their figurehead merely for the sake of restoring public services.
It is essential to understand that the idea of a government shutdown serves more as a political tool to enhance the party’s chances of success in future congressional elections rather than an instrument to impose new legal limits on Trump’s influence, which at this point seems invincible.
This perspective casts a spotlight on an ingrained thought process prevalent among many dynamic progressives. However, a moment of sober reflection forces us to realize that House and Senate Republicans are reluctant to curb the power of their party’s leader unless there is a significant dissent among Trump loyalists.
For a government shutdown to effect a change in public opinion, it would not be sufficient for it to merely alter the prevailing viewpoint; it would necessitate a radical transformation of it. In reality, given past experiences, this seems a highly unlikely scenario.
The incidents of January 6, where Trump unleashed a mob on the U.S. Capitol in a failed bid to subvert the election outcome, served as headline news for weeks. Despite some Republican officials voicing disapproval of Trump’s actions, it didn’t cause a shift in the public – especially Republicans – perspectives on Trump’s authoritarian tendencies.
Klein’s premise, proposing political gains from a government shutdown strategy, could hold some merit. The current disenchantment among Democratic voters and the party’s substandard fundraising efforts might improve due to a shutdown. It could fill Liberal supporters with the sense that their leaders are taking a stand, possibly triggering a surge of small-scale contributions.
Furthermore, the notion that a shutdown would make legal establishments, corporations, and universities more resistant to Trump is speculative at best. Shutdown instigators have historically encountered difficulties in getting their voices heard amidst the general public’s discontent with the consequences of their tactics.
In conclusion, while the tactics of a government shutdown may offer some benefits to the Democratic Party, their effectiveness in curtailing Trump’s escalating power is highly uncertain. The willingness of Republican representatives to challenge their leader and his authoritarian tendencies appears, at the moment, quite doubtful.
Nevertheless, innovation, determination, and wisdom within the Democratic Party are required more than ever, to stand against determined autocratic setbacks and protect the cherished values of democracy and the rule of law. However, the path chosen, especially a path as disruptive as a government shutdown, must be tread upon with acute discernment.
The post Democrats: Incompetent or Just Naïve with Shutdown Strategy? appeared first on Real News Now.
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