I've been working hard getting our NCAA Tournament forecasts ready for Selection Sunday. So I'd barely been paying attention to the drama in the Senate, where Republicans were trying to gather votes for a budget resolution to avert a government shutdown by midnight tonight.
The article from RealClearPolitics, published on March 17, 2025, titled "Democrats Should Have Shut Down the Government," argues that Democrats missed a strategic opportunity by not allowing a government shutdown. The author posits that a shutdown could have been politically advantageous for Democrats, as it would have highlighted Republican disarray and potentially swayed public opinion against the GOP. The piece suggests that by keeping the government open, Democrats inadvertently allowed Republicans to regroup and pass legislation that was not in their favor. It critiques the Democratic leadership for lacking the foresight to use the shutdown as leverage, especially given the internal conflicts within the Republican party at the time. The author believes that this decision might have long-term negative implications for Democratic policy goals and their image as effective negotiators.
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