Shutdown Showdown (Again). Will Democrats Cave (Again)?

Time for another government shutdown showdown. Last one was in March, when Schumer caved, leaned on fellow Democratic senators to end the filibuster so the Republicans could have their continuing resolution, and thus he launched a pretty raunchy rebellion among the Democratic base. And once again, according to Heather Digby Parton, "what Republicans are proposing this time around is so odious that Democrats cannot be seen to have voted for it."

What exactly is the Democratic leadership in the Senate -- Schumer -- and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries -- doing to stand up to ... this..?

Republicans are not acting in good faith. Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, has pulled the trigger on his plot to usurp the power of the purse from Congress. The president, he has asserted, has the power to cancel congressionally-approved spending by using a “pocket rescission,” which would see the administration refusing to spend money on programs it doesn’t support .... This action is unprecedented, and it would effectively grant the president absolute monarchical power....

Reportedly, Schumer and Jeffries have written strongly worded letters to the Republican leadership. Those letters have become a joke on late night TV. Journalist Brian Beutler pointed out that “They make no demands. The closest they come is to request a meeting, in the hope of getting answers to questions. Not to establish conditions for Democratic votes, just to see how uncompromising Republicans intend to be. This is, if anything, a weaker posture than they adopted in March [during the last shutdown showdown], before folding and igniting an enormous grassroots backlash.”

To kick up a bit of a fuss before ultimately allowing the thing to pass has become the Democratic "brand," and the base is sick of it. Schumer and Jeffries are not unreasonably afraid of what the shutdown can cause for the people causing the shutdown -- as Freedom Caucus Republicans learned during past shutdowns. Because, they argue, in all likelihood -- if history is any teacher -- the shutdown will be over in two, three, six weeks with nothing substantial gained, because the opposition always has to "save" government by sacrificing values. Maybe it's time to break that mold. Doesn't seem likely that's going to happen, but wouldn't it be interesting to watch?

"The consensus is that, like last time, Democrats will end up caving in the end."