Analysis of the Democrats’ challenges and polling inaccuracies during the Schumer shutdown.
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The Democrats aren’t going to win this fight. They can’t. The House and Senate Democratic caucuses may be on the same page this time, as opposed to the previous spending fight, but they lack a clear agenda or message. Sorry, health care for illegal aliens, repealing a rural healthcare fund, and refunding National Public Radio aren’t national action items. No one cares about that either, except for the crusty, unhinged white boomers who don’t get that they cannot recreate ’68. Also, this shutdown is going to harm Democrats more—they’re laying off their own people in the process.
Yesterday,asCongresssquabbled,CNNtriedtoshowhowpoorlyTrumpwasdoing,whichisanoldtrope.Everypollislikelytobeinaccurate,asmostfocusonthepresidentandhissupporters.It’safact:thepollingindustrycannotaccuratelygaugethissliceoftheelectorate.ThenetworkhadFrankLuntztothrowcoldwateronthepollingnarrativebystatingtwosimplethings:theDemocrats’approvalsareworse,andtheywillbeblamedmorefortheshutdownbytheirsupporte
