With their backs to the wall, Democrats are becoming desperate. In the upper chamber, Democratic Sen. Chris Coons says the minority has just one option to check the advance of the Republican administration, namely a government shutdown.
Surveying the political landscape, Coons wants the minority party to embrace a scorched-earth, government-shutdown strategy. Speaking frankly with a local radio station Monday night, Coons admitted, “that’s really the only card we’ve got.”
More than idle talk, Coons insisted that Minority Leader Chuck Schumer was “regularly negotiating” with Republicans about the possibility. So far obstruction has taken the form of delays, not an outright government blackout. Democrats could shift gears with negotiations over the debt ceiling around the corner.
“That’s our ultimate card,” Coons explained, “is to threaten to shut down the government when we get to the end of the funding, that’s coming up fairly soon, the end of the continuing resolution. But that’s really the only card we’ve got.” But that’s a remarkable reversal not only for Democrats generally but also for Coons specifically.
Coons once referred to the shutdown tactic he’s now proposing as “reckless, dangerous, and irresponsible.” Of course, that was in 2013 when Republicans frustrated a Democrat majority and shut down the government in an effort to defund Obamacare. Back then, Coons crooned that “hostage-taking is not governing.”
When the government reopened after 16 days, Coons lectured that he hoped “those responsible have learned their lesson and will not use our economy as a political bargaining chip again.” Apparently, the Democrat never expected Republicans would take control of the Senate.
Philip Wegmann is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
