DAVID MARCUS: Why Schumer's do-nothing approach makes perfect sense for Democrats

Fox News

19-03-2025

It's been a tough week for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is facing a revolt from his party's faithful as a result of his decision to vote, along with nine other Democrats, to pass last week's continuing resolution and keep the government open.
The fallout was as immediate as it was furious, with calls erupting for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., darling of the far-left to primary Schumer in his next reelection bid, and angry recriminations of surrender filling Washington DC.
As far as a primary goes, Schumer won't show up on the ballot for another three years, which is the current chronology of American politics might as well be three decades, so let's not get ahead of ourselves.
But what if, even though Democrats are loath to admit it, Schumer's do-nothing approach to Trump's second and wildly more aggressive administration not only makes sense, but is the most effective way to fight Trump, at least in the short term.
In the first frenetic 35 days of Trump's presidency, this time around, it was the Democrats who just couldn't be normal in their response, culminating in the circus performance of walkouts, matching outfits and refusal to cheer for a childhood cancer survivor at the commander-in-chief's joint address to Congress.
Over the past two weeks, however, it is Trump who is veering, if not into abnormality, at least into unconventional actions that Americans haven't seen before. These include tariffs on our allies, record breaking deportations, and a realignment of our foreign policy in regard to Russia.
What Schumer understands, even as liberals like "The Daily Show's" Jon Stewart insist he "do something!" is that there is nothing Congressional Republicans can do right now to stop Trump, including shutting down the government.
So what is Chuck's plan? He laid it out quite clearly last week, stressing the need for Democrats to push Trump's job approval lower, he said, "He was at 51, he's now at 48, we're going to keep at it until he is under 40."
What Schumer, and his more moderate allies, no doubt recognize is that going into this week, Donald Trump was underwater in the Real Clear Politics Average of approval polls for the first time since being re-elected.
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Why on earth would the Democrats have wanted to toss Trump a lifeline by shutting down the government?
If Democrats sincerely believe that Trump's policies will lead to disaster, that tariffs will raise prices, that Americans will be repelled by mass deportations, and that treating with Vladimir Putin will have nightmarish geopolitical consequences, then why get in the way, especially when you have no leverage anyway?
And Schumer is not alone in his more reserved approach to challenging Trump, Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., who has begged his party not to set its hair on fire every time Trump opens his mouth, also voted to keep the government funded.
Meanwhile, California governor and presumptive White House hopeful Gavin Newsom is inviting MAGA figures like Steve Bannon and Charlie Kirk on his podcast, while former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo is running for mayor of Gotham while barely mentioning Trump's name.
Even the Ragin Cajun, longtime Democratic strategist James Carville has called for calm, writing in these pages recently, "I think it's evident to anyone and everyone that Democrats' response needs to be deliberate, determined and dignified—not "The Charge of the Light Brigade. I understand that Democrats are anxious and demanding more, but there's a thing called a calendar, and there are opportunities abound."
This wing of the party, which is still too progressive for the country on key issues, at least understands the virtue of political patience, which is exactly why far-left Democrats are eager to crush this "normal" form of opposition.
AOC, The Squad and Nancy Pelosi are in no mood to give the Party of Jefferson & Jackson over to a bunch of moderate white guys.
Make no mistake, Trump's first month in office was a glorious dash of campaign promises kept, but it was also focused on many 70/30 or even 80/20 issues, such as men in women's sports, or closing the southern border.
Now, the Trump administration must pivot to 50/50 issues, a much heavier political lift.
A new Gallup poll shows a 16 percent increase in support for Ukraine among Americans since December, deportations are moving beyond hardened criminals, and some Americans are nervous that Trump's grand economic long-term plan might come with short-term pain.
Chuck Schumer didn't rise from the streets of Brooklyn to become the most powerful Democrat in Washington by being an idiot. He and Fetterman, and a host of smart Democrats are forgoing the constant anti-Trump caterwaul and biding their time.
As Republicans seek to grow their majority in 2026 and solidify power in 2028, the biggest challenge they will face is not angry leftists chanting in the streets, it is calm, composed Democrats lying in wait for any and all mistakes that Trump might make.
And that is exactly Chuck Schumer's plan.