It was always debatable whether a shutdown at this time was a good move for the Democrats. The record will show that I was slightly inclined to the no side. Having opted for a confrontation, however, the Democrats can’t afford to cave. Why?
Because Trump and the GOP are treating the crisis as a test of dominance rather than an opportunity to persuade swing voters. If the blue team gets rolled when it appears to have the public on its side, everyone will draw the conclusion that it cannot be trusted to provide meaningful opposition to Trump’s usurpations of power. That in turn will cause the left to go to the streets, which will lead to violence, further military actions in our cities, and the end of liberal democracy in America.
In short, the pain caused by a shutdown will be real, but the pain caused by caving will be much worse.