Senator Jeanne Shaheen just threw the minority leader under the bus.

Senator Jeanne Shaheen revealed that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer knew the entire time about the plan for a few Democrats to capitulate to Republicans on the government shutdown.

Shaheen, one of the seven Democrats (and one independent) who dropped their demand for a guaranteed extension of Obamacare subsidies, spoke to Fox News’s Brian Kilmeade on Monday morning.

Aside from serving as further proof that the Democrats are failing to act as an opposition party in any meaningful way, Shaheen’s comments also reveal one of two possible scenarios. Either Schumer was scheming to end the shutdown behind the scenes, only pretending to be against it while pinning the blame on the eight people who aren’t up for reelection anytime soon, or he has no control over his party. Either way, it proves the need for Democrats to jettison the minority leader.

  • MrVilliam@sh.itjust.works
    15·
    12 hours ago

    I agree with everything you said except for calling this a midterm election. Midterms are next year, and primaries are ramping up, so NOW is the time for everybody to start researching and supporting ideal candidates so that you can have a shot at being proud of your vote at the general election.

    Fun fact: of the eight non-Republicans to cave, exactly ZERO of them are up for reelection in 2026. To be clear, 2 of them have terms ending at the start of 2027, but they’re both retiring and therefore not running. Nobody will remember this in 3 years, so they’re suffering exactly zero consequences for this sellout.

    • BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today
      4·
      6 hours ago

      You’re right, it wasn’t a Midterm. I lost my head for a moment because this off year election almost had the feeling and energy of a Midterm, and also the exultant feeling you get after a big Midterm win.

      The real Midterms next year are going to be much different than usual. The stakes haven’t been this high since before the Civil War, and the campaign is actually going to be scary, and very likely violent.

      And that’s if he allows elections. If he doesn’t, there will DEFINITELY be violence.

    • TempermentalAnomaly@lemmy.world
      7·
      11 hours ago

      Senators up for re-election will remember if we do the following:

      1. If you have a dem senator, write to them and tell them that the leadership is out of touch with the demands of the moment
      2. If the blue incumbent in your state is retiring in 2026, run a progressive. Use this moment to draw real separation between the progressive and the establishment candidate. Make any contact between them and the democratic leadership toxic
      3. If the blue incumbent hasn’t condemned this and the democratic leadership, do the same as above.

      Democrats up for reelection in 2026

      • Colorado: John Hickenlooper
      • Delaware: Chris Coons
      • Georgia: Jon Ossoff
      • Illinois: Dick Durbin (Retiring)
      • Massachusetts: Ed Markey
      • Michigan: Gary Peters (Retiring)
      • Minnesota: Tina Smith (Retiring)
      • New Hampshire: Jeanne Shaheen (Retiring)
      • New Jersey: Cory Booker (Chair of Strategic Communications Committee)
      • New Mexico: Ben Ray Lujan
      • Oregon: Jeff Merkley
      • Rhode Island: Jack Reed
      • Virginia: Mark Warner

      Flipping the senate in 2026 seems unlikely, but transforming the democratic party must start now. Schumer is up for re-election in 2028, but he has to be removed from leadership now.