Democrats Have Found an Effective Way To Counter Trump*
The U.S. government has shut down. For the first time, the president's authoritarian campaign has been halted. Who is Chuck Schumer, Donald Trump's new rival?
Since the beginning of the year, Donald Trump has been assuming powers that the Constitution does not grant him. He makes decisions on foreign trade, sends troops to quell cities that are run by the opposition, tightens immigration policy, and undermines the independence of the judiciary.
Till now, the Democratic opposition hasn't known how to put an end to this authoritarian drift. However, it seems that they may have just found an effective way to counter Trump. Though Republicans in the 100-member Senate hold a majority of 53 seats, the law requires that the budget gain the support of at least 60 senators. Since neither side has that many, a compromise is necessary. And there’s no sign of that happening. Instead, a brutal showdown should be expected.
Eighty-Five Million Americans May Lose Medical Insurance
Trump threatens to fire as many as 800,000 federal employees whose pay was temporarily suspended due to the government shutdown. He has also announced plans to send troops to pacify other cities, including Chicago. He counts on shifting the blame for chaos in the capital to the Democrats.
But they have cards that are at least as strong. They demand the reinstatement of $1 trillion worth of funding for the Medicaid program that supports the poorest families, without which 85 million Americans will have to pay much more for medical insurance. Trump eliminated it in the long-term spending bill dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill.
Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who hails from a Jewish family from the eastern territories of pre-war Poland, has managed to unite almost the entire party caucus around the idea. Since Kamala Harris' election loss, he has emerged as the first credible opposition leader to Trump.
Support for Trump Is Crumbling
The result of the clash will be determined on at least three levels. The first is opinion polls. According to the aggregator RealClearPolling, 45% of Americans today approve of the president's actions, while 53% disapprove. Trump cannot afford a further drop in these numbers.
The second is the outcome of the compromise, which would allow the government to resume its work. For now, this is hard to imagine since each side has put forth such fundamental demands.
Finally, this crisis will smoothly transition into the campaign for next year’s congressional elections. If the White House loses, its ability to act will be drastically limited.
*Editor's note: This article is available in its original language with a paid subscription.
Since the beginning of the year, Donald Trump has been assuming powers that the Constitution does not grant him. He makes decisions on foreign trade, sends troops to quell cities that are run by the opposition, tightens immigration policy, and undermines the independence of the judiciary.
Till now, the Democratic opposition hasn't known how to put an end to this authoritarian drift. However, it seems that they may have just found an effective way to counter Trump. Though Republicans in the 100-member Senate hold a majority of 53 seats, the law requires that the budget gain the support of at least 60 senators. Since neither side has that many, a compromise is necessary. And there’s no sign of that happening. Instead, a brutal showdown should be expected.
Eighty-Five Million Americans May Lose Medical Insurance
Trump threatens to fire as many as 800,000 federal employees whose pay was temporarily suspended due to the government shutdown. He has also announced plans to send troops to pacify other cities, including Chicago. He counts on shifting the blame for chaos in the capital to the Democrats.
But they have cards that are at least as strong. They demand the reinstatement of $1 trillion worth of funding for the Medicaid program that supports the poorest families, without which 85 million Americans will have to pay much more for medical insurance. Trump eliminated it in the long-term spending bill dubbed the Big Beautiful Bill.
Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who hails from a Jewish family from the eastern territories of pre-war Poland, has managed to unite almost the entire party caucus around the idea. Since Kamala Harris' election loss, he has emerged as the first credible opposition leader to Trump.
Support for Trump Is Crumbling
The result of the clash will be determined on at least three levels. The first is opinion polls. According to the aggregator RealClearPolling, 45% of Americans today approve of the president's actions, while 53% disapprove. Trump cannot afford a further drop in these numbers.
The second is the outcome of the compromise, which would allow the government to resume its work. For now, this is hard to imagine since each side has put forth such fundamental demands.
Finally, this crisis will smoothly transition into the campaign for next year’s congressional elections. If the White House loses, its ability to act will be drastically limited.
*Editor's note: This article is available in its original language with a paid subscription.
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