WASHINGTON: The US Senate appeared closer Friday to avoiding an economically damaging government funding shutdown after the Democrats’ top leader shied away from a major confrontation with President Donald Trump, prompting backlash from the left.
Democrats are smarting over Trump’s radical spending cuts which have shredded entire sections of government and seen Congress largely bypassed in what critics say is an unconstitutional exercise of power by the White House.
Many in the party argue that refusing to back the Republican bill funding the US government for another six months would be a chance for Democrats to demonstrate opposition to the Trump project. Republicans have a slim majority with 53 of the 100 senators, but need some Democratic support to reach the necessary 60 votes for getting their bill through.
Ahead of the Friday midnight deadline, top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer — who has long insisted that it is bad politics to shut down the government — said he would support the bill.
A Democratic blockade of the bill and the ensuing chaos of the entire US government temporarily being out of funds would be “a gift” to Trump, he said. Many senior Democrats were furious at Schumer but early Friday, Trump signaled his pleasure at the climbdown.
“Congratulations to Chuck Schumer for doing the right thing – Took “guts” and courage!” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
Among those incensed by Schumer’s decision was former House speaker Nancy Pelosi, who issued a pointed statement Friday in apparent defiance of the Senate minority leader, calling the vote “a false choice between a government shutdown or a blank check that makes a devastating assault on…working families across America.”
“Let’s be clear: neither is a good option for the American people. But this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable.”
