Schumer in 2013: Democrats Would Never Be So Reckless as to Shut Down the Government Over, Say, Immigration

Guy Benson | January 21, 2018 2:38 PM

You already knew that both parties are trading hypocritical barbs over the current 'Schumer Shutdown,' but this clip from the archives is really quite special and simply too delicious not to share immediately. Back when Republicans pushed a flawed shutdown strategy over Obamacare in 2013, a certain Senator from New York pronounced himself aghast. The GOP's disgraceful 'hostage taking' was nothing short of "governmental chaos," he said during an ABC News appearance. His own party would never go to such radical extremes, even over an issue in which they were deeply emotionally invested, he assured viewers. Guess which issue he picked to illustrate his holier-than-thou 'for instance'? It's okay to laugh:

Well this is awkward. Chuck Schumer in 2013. #Chuckdown pic.twitter.com/3todBxmgj0
— Sweetened Beverage Recovery Fee (@jasonelevation) January 20, 2018

This made me chuckle even harder than Steny Hoyer's amusing House floor fail on Friday. The simple fact is that Shutdown Chuck's caucus has launched a 44-vote filibuster against a spending bill that would have kept the federal government open. The measure did not include a single provision that Democrats actually oppose. They've chosen to shut down the government because the spending bill did not include unrelated elements regarding immigration policy. It's not a popular gambit:

CNN poll: DACA not worth a shutdown, except to Democrats
56% overall say approving a budget agreement to avoid a shutdown is more important than continuing the DACA program, while just 34% choose DACA over a shutdown. @CNNPolitics https://t.co/PGOrBqjdt5
— David P Gelles (@gelles) January 19, 2018

And even when the issue of immigration is isolated in the survey, people don't believe that obstructing the construction of a border wall is worth leaving the DREAMers' fate unresolved:

CNN poll: Strong opposition to #SchumerShutdown, w/ barely a plurality of *Democrats* in favor. Also: “Only 1 in 6 said opposing the border wall is more important than continuing DACA.”

Decouple immigration from govt funding, then pass fair DREAM Act + meaningful enforcement.
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) January 20, 2018

Five Senate Democrats crossed the aisle to vote for the GOP government funding bill, but 60 votes are required to end the Democratic filibuster. Reports are starting to leak out that rank-and-file elected Democrats and aides are growing more and more concerned about their party's shutdown adventure, wondering if leadership has an "exit strategy" and recognizing that shutting down the government on behalf of illegal immigrants may not be an ingenious maneuver:

One House Dem tells me they’re not nearly as worried about Schumer in gov’t shutdown negotiations as much as they are with Durbin & his making the shutdown all about DACA/immigration: pic.twitter.com/eKtj48OiHC
— ?? Al Weaver ?? (@alweaver22) January 21, 2018

Among Democrats only 49% back the #Senate Dem shutdown position, while 42% say avoiding a shutdown is the priority
Majorities of independents (57%) say avoiding a shutdown is more important.https://t.co/fyDQB7W3UM
— STEW ?????? (@StewSays) January 19, 2018

But Democrats' ill-conceived, unpopular shutdown is all about DACA and immigration. I'll leave you with Mitch McConnell vowing to force vote after vote to end the Schumer Shutdown and reopen the government. It's up to the Senate minority: