Networks and cable news are now in “All blame, all the time” mode—engaging in endless, pointless speculation about which party will receive the “blame” for the impending shutdown. “Blame” is the currency of political consultants and pollsters; people whose livelihood depends on the ability to direct blame as instructed by the person footing the bill for their lavish dinners in D.C.
The impending shutdown raises an issue that goes to the heart of the separation of powers and checks and balances crafted by the Framers of the Constitution. Under Article I, Congress collects revenue and appropriates funds. Article II obligates the president to “faithfully execute the laws” passed by Congress—including appropriations bills.
For every day of his second term, Trump has refused to spend funds appropriated by Congress—a gross violation of the Constitution that justifies impeachment, conviction, and removal from office. Unless Trump and the GOP agree to end Trump’s lawless conduct, there is no point in passing a new budget. Trump will simply ignore the 2026 budget, just as he ignored the 2025 budget.
Democrats must not abandon the Constitution by passing either a “continuing resolution” or a 2026 budget that fails to address Trump’s ongoing illegal impoundment of funds.
Sadly, the issue of Trump’s illegal impoundment of funds is being ignored by the media. It requires 60 seconds of attention and explanation, which the media is unwilling to provide. Senator Schumer and Rep. Jeffries understand this fact and have wisely focused their shutdown rationale on lowering healthcare costs.
The Schumer-Jeffries strategy is both smart and fair. When the reconciliation bill (the “Big Ugly Bill) was passed, the filibuster did not apply. Republicans ran amok and did their worst. Democrats sat helplessly as Republicans were able to pass the Big Ugly Bill on a majority vote.
The reconciliation bill must now be implemented by twelve “appropriations bills.” Unlike the reconciliation bill, the twelve appropriation bills are subject to the filibuster.
As a result, Democrats now have the opportunity to change the Big Ugly Bill, which they did not have when it first passed. But Democrats must be judicious. Realistically, Democrats cannot renegotiate the massive reconciliation bill as the government is shut down.
Schumer and Jeffries have thus focused on reducing the scheduled increases to healthcare costs that Republicans adopted to provide obscene tax cuts for billionaires.
So, when you read that Schumer and Jeffries are “shutting down” the government over healthcare costs, that is true—partially. They are also seeking to enforce constitutional order by extracting an agreement from Trump and congressional Republicans that Trump will cease his illegal impoundment of funds.
Readers continue to send me opinion pieces written by pundits who focus only on the political strategy of “blame” with no concern for Trump’s blatant violation of the Constitution or the hardship that will be imposed on tens of millions of Americans through increased healthcare costs. See e.g., AP, As Democrats prepare for a possible federal shutdown, their endgame is uncertain. (“Publicly, Democrats say they believe Trump and Republicans will bear the blame if there is a shutdown and that they eventually would be forced to negotiate a compromise. That is a risky bet.”), and Vox, Democrats’ shutdown strategy hinges on a risky bet.
Pundits frequently predict that Trump will use a shutdown to exercise unchecked control over the government and lay off tens of thousands of federal workers. See Amy Sherman, Politifact, How a government shutdown could give Trump more power.
Er, excuse me? Have those pundits not been paying attention to the fact that Trump has already laid off or forced the early retirement of 275,000 federal employees? Have they missed the part where Trump already imposed illegal tariffs, impounded funds, deployed the military in violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, directed the DOJ to indict his personal enemies, and engaged in monumental corruption?
Trump didn’t need the excuse of a government shutdown to do any of the above. Nor would avoiding a government shutdown now cause him to cease his unlawful practices.
The shutdown is irrelevant to Trump’s continued reign of lawlessness. So, please, pundits, spare us the “smart” political commentary that ignores the substance and focuses only on political blame or the horrendous things Trump might do—which he is already doing!
The prospect of a shutdown is no laughing matter. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers and millions of dependents will lose their biweekly paychecks. For many, missing two paychecks may lead to missed rent and mortgage payments, an inability to buy necessary groceries and prescriptions, and, not to mention, missed utility, phone, insurance, and other vital payments.
And yet, after the meeting between Trump, Schumer, and Jeffries failed to produce an agreement, Trump re-posted a racist, vulgar, AI-modified video that put words in Schumer’s mouth that he never uttered (“All Democrats are pieces of sh*t . . . .”). The video is here, but WARNING: It is crude, racist, and uncouth. See CNN, Trump posts racist, AI-generated video of Schumer and Jeffries ahead of looming government shutdown. (The video is embedded in the CNN article.)
Trump may believe he is mocking Schumer and Jeffries with the racist video. Instead, he is mocking the American people, especially Latino and Black Americans. A truly disgusting display of contempt by a man-child who cares about no one except himself.
Trump says he will order the National Guard to Chicago
Following the deployment of 200 National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon, Trump said on Monday that he would deploy 100 National Guard troops to Chicago (a threat he has made before). See NBC Chicago, Trump signals he will send National Guard to Chicago ‘against Pritzker’.
A federal judge ruled that a similar deployment to Los Angeles was illegal. It is likely that federal judges in Chicago and Portland will make similar rulings.
The deployments are unlawful and reprehensible. But they are also performative. The deployment to Los Angeles ended with an embarrassing whimper. The troops spent most of their time sleeping on the floor in makeshift quarters, when they weren’t looking bored while standing at deserted street corners.
Sending 100 troops to Chicago is wrong—and is intended to normalize the presence of the military in American cities. Still, Chicago is a city of 2.6 million people and 234 square miles. The presence of 100 troops is for show. Allow the legal process to take its course and for cool heads to prevail.
Governor Pritzker is pushing back hard. See Politico, JB Pritzker blasts plan for National Guard deployment to Chicago.
Governor Pritzker said,
It’s a pretext for bringing troops into the city and normalizing the militarization of our cities, and we just won’t allow that.
They’re not targeting violent criminals or gang members. They’re arresting tamale vendors and delivery men and shaking down families.
Our small businesses suffer when our residents and visitors who are shopping and eating are made to feel unsafe by the jackbooted thugs roaming around a peaceful downtown. Parents are now scared to send their kids to school, for fear the troops will grab their children. Students are afraid they’ll come home and find their parents have been disappeared by ICE. This is no way to live.
Well said, Governor Pritzker! We need more Democratic leaders willing to take on the Trump administration with tough talk and strong action. Keep it up!
A Big Law firm that capitulated to Trump is struggling to retain partners and remain independent.
The law firm Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft surrendered to Trump, agreeing to provide $100 million in pro bono services to clients of Trump’s choosing. Cadwalader is now experiencing mass departures by important partners and is reportedly seeking a merger to keep it afloat. See Above the Law, Wall Street’s Oldest Biglaw Firm Appoints Co-Managing Partner Amid Mass Exits And Merger Rumors.
Over the past several months, Cadwalader has lost more than 40 partners to competitor firms, with high-profile defections hitting core practices. Many of these moves are reportedly tied to internal dissatisfaction over the firm’s controversial agreement with the Trump administration, in which CWT pledged $100 million in pro bono payola to help avoid punitive executive orders.
And yet, the tech bros continue to capitulate to Trump. On Monday, YouTube announced a $24.5 million settlement with Trump for banning him from the platform after the January 6 insurrection. See NYTimes, YouTube Settles Trump Lawsuit Over Account Suspension for $24.5 Million.
YouTube is owned by Google / Alphabet, controlled by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They are worth $153 billion and $190 billion, respectively. In other words, they settled with Trump not because they had to, but because they wanted to.
Opportunity for Reader Engagement
PostCardsToVoters needs volunteers for the Pennsylvania Supreme Court elections
A reader sent a link to a plea from Tony the Democrat for additional postcard writers to help support “judicial retention” elections in Pennsylvania. See below:
Three Democratic justices (Donohue, Dougherty, Wecht) are on the retention ballot in November. Republicans are actively pushing to overturn them. If just one of them is ousted, it could trigger partisan judicial elections in 2027. The court already plays a decisive role in redistricting, voting rights, and interpreting the state constitution.
Because judicial ballots don’t list party affiliation and there is no opponent, many voters won’t even realize what they’re voting on or why it matters. We need to help them understand.
What you can do, right now, to make a difference…
Request addresses (if you haven’t yet) to write and mail postcards in time for them to arrive before the voters’ Mail-In ballots arrive
Invite a friend (in your networks) to join since many hands multiplies impact. Ask them to email us at: Join@TonyTheDemocrat.org
Share on social media (or in your local volunteer circles) that we need more writers
Concluding Thoughts
The torrent of news is making it difficult to maintain perspective and focus. It is, of course, understandable for engaged members of the resistance to follow the day’s political news. However, too much of a good thing can be exhausting.
Many cable news anchors, social media influencers, and columnists served as staffers and political operatives for former presidents, senators, or representatives. They use their political connections to obtain comments or provide background information on the day’s top stories from their former colleagues who are still political insiders. As a result, we are not really hearing “the news.” We are hearing the political “spin” on the news, sourced from political insiders and reported by former political insiders.
As I said, we don’t really hear “the news.” We hear the political ramifications of the news—which often translates into “which side is winning” or “is this news good (or bad) for Democrats?”
Frankly, I find such hyper-politicized reporting exhausting. I find myself yelling at the radio or TV with comments like, “Talk about what happened, not about whether it’s good for Democrats!” Where is Walter Cronkite when we need him?
I consume a lot of news so I can write this newsletter. But I gave up listening to the news on Monday. It was just “Blah-blah-blah Democrats blah-blah-blah Republicans blah-blah-blah winning blah-blah-blah losing.” No mention of the Constitution, rule of law, democratic norms, human decency, justice, or the vast grassroots resistance to Trump’s authoritarian agenda. (Lawrence O’Donnell is the exception.)
I heard from several readers (through emails and the Comment section) who seem to have been overwhelmed by the hyper-politicized nature of the news over the last few weeks. (That’s my inference, not what they said.) If that describes how you are feeling, I suggest getting in a car or taking public transportation and driving 20 miles in any direction. Get out and look around.
What you will see is a vast nation with good people working to make a better life for themselves and their families. No strife, no political horse races, no performative politics. Just people striving to make it through life as best they can, as their ancestors have done for centuries.
The next few weeks will be hyper-politicized as never before. Remember that partisan politics isn’t reality; it is an artificial score-keeping mechanism. People are real. The Constitution is real. Votes are real. Your actions are real—and can shape the outcome of the future.
Stay strong, everyone!
Protest Photos
Below: Ballard, Washington—a group of protesters that has been appearing in the same spot weekly since February 15!
Below: Upton, MA.
Below: Rooted in Resistance, in Pasadena, CA.
Below, several photos from Indivisible ReSisters in Contra Costa, CA:
(The photo below is brilliantly composed and multi-layered. Kudos to the photographer!)
Below, also from Contra Costa Resisters, a photo of Army veteran Captain Brian (photo credit: John Weekes).
Below, New Jersey Blue
Daily Dose of Perspective
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