There is a looming government shutdown - the last time, Schumer blinked, and I've heard an essay from Ezra Klein that says he can see why it happened then. But now there is nothing to lose except have a story ready to tell the public about the GOP failures and let it shut down.

Distrust clouds Democratic strategy amid shutdown battle with GOP

House Democrats are hanging their hopes on party leaders in the Senate to block any government spending bill crafted solely by the GOP, but there’s plenty of distrust between the chambers hovering over the debate.

Behind House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), House Democrats were virtually united against a Republican spending bill in March, only to watch angrily as Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and a small group of upper chamber Democrats backed the bill, sending it to President Trump’s desk.

With another shutdown deadline looming at month’s end, House Democrats are delicately predicting a different outcome this time, arguing that the political environment has changed so drastically over the past six months that Schumer has almost no choice but to oppose a GOP spending bill negotiated without Democratic input.

“The world has literally changed since that occurred,” Rep. Donald Norcross (D-N.J.) said. “He made a calculated risk and it did not turn out well. I don’t think he’ll make that mistake twice.”

“I think they hold the line,” echoed Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-N.Y.). “The American people have expressed themselves clearly and loudly that they want us to fight back at all levels. And if, in fact, we engage in a shutdown, it would be a Republican shutdown, because they’re the ones that are making it difficult for anybody to reach an agreement with these egregious cuts.”