Once this federal government shutdown ends, it is inevitable that someone will declare victory. However, as things stand, there will be no real winners.
Even so, what other choice did Democrats have?
In March, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer came under fire from many in his own party after he was seen as caving to President Donald Trump when he corralled enough senators to vote to keep the government open. Back then, Schumer believed the opposite, that a shutdown would only empower and embolden the president.
Months of increasingly outrageous actions from Trump and his administration, including the absolute disregard of Congress’ power of the purse, have left Democratic leaders with little recourse but to make their stand.
“How could we negotiate a bipartisan agreement and then have the president unilaterally through impoundment, or the Republican Party through rescissions and the president unilaterally through pocket rescissions, undo it all without any input,” Schumer said last week.