Democratic Strategist on Government Shutdown Deal: "You Can't Yo-Yo Your Base"

Backlash Over Shutdown Deal

• 🎯 Democratic strategist Joel Payne describes the bipartisan Senate deal to end the government shutdown as a "cave-in" by Democrats.
• ⚠️ He argues that pulling the rug out from the activist base after asking them to fight is problematic and creates a significant trust problem.
• 🗣️ Payne emphasizes that in the Donald Trump era, Democrats cannot fall short of expectations for fighting in a different way.

Republican Perspective on the Deal

• 🍕 Former Republican Rep. Fred Upton agrees that Democrats "caved" and questions what they gained from the deal.
• 📉 He points out that the promise of a vote on ACA tax credits and subsidies is unlikely to pass the Senate due to the need for 60 votes.
• 💡 Upton suggests Democrats could have demanded an actual vote or targeted their approach more narrowly, such as preventing health insurance rates from spiking.

Strategic Missteps and Trust Issues

• ⚡ Payne criticizes the deal as reflecting a "lack of imagination" and a disconnect from constituents wanting change.
• ⚖️ He notes that Chuck Schumer faces a leadership problem regardless of whether he lost control of moderates or organized them to bail him out.
• 🤝 Upton acknowledges the difficulty of governing and compromising, but states Democrats ultimately got "nothing out of this thing."

ACA Tax Credits and Future Political Landscape

• 📊 The discussion touches on the termination date of enhanced Obamacare tax credits, which Democrats set themselves.
• 🚀 There's speculation that Donald Trump's idea of giving money directly to constituents, rather than insurance companies, might gain traction and outflank Democrats.