The Democrats have a dilemma on their hands. If they don’t provide enough support for the stopgap bill to pass, the government will shut down. They will be blamed for it; there is no obvious exit ramp; some employees will have to work indefinitely without pay; and the public will be denied necessary services. If they do, however, the base will be upset, and they will send a message that impoundment is acceptable. As of today, it appears that they have chosen Option #1. Is there any way out of the dilemma?
Yes–they can agree privately to divide appropriately on the issue. A few senators who won’t be vulnerable to primary challenges can vote for the stopgap package, while the vast majority votes against it. This approach would preserve the principle that the blue team opposes impoundment while providing the few necessary votes to keep the government open.
After all, shutting down the government is the CL dream. From their perspective, it’s even better than impoundment.