[DennisP]

Since the GOP had its own dissenters on the budget, Democrats could have started by not voting for the budget without extracting concessions.

When Democrats were in power, the Republicans found all sorts of ways to gum up the works.

[leptons]

trump would love a government shutdown, as he has proven. I really doubt shutting down the govt would change any situation when trump is legislating by executive order, and mostly a shutdown would hurt Americans. You're trying to simplify something that isn't simple at all, and blame the Democrats for not doing what an armchair expert wants.

[DennisP]

It's not just about what Trump wants. Most Republicans in Congress would like to get reelected.

In the comment above you suggested there's nothing congressional Democrats can do. That is incorrect. Any time the Republicans don't have unanimity, and any time they need sixty votes in the Senate, the Democrats have leverage. They need the guts, and/or the understanding of basic game theory, to use it.

Calling me an "armchair expert" and waving your hands about how things are complicated is not a counterargument.

[leptons]

>any time they need sixty votes in the Senate, the Democrats have leverage.

And how many votes are needed for every executive order he signs? None, is the answer. The tarrifs required not one single vote from congress.

There won't be any votes that require 60 in the Senate that will happen for trump to continue his awful agenda.

Please tell us where exactly Democrats have any power, and be specific.

[DennisP]

I already mentioned the budget. If Republicans want to pass any actual tax cuts, that's another opportunity.

I didn't claim Democrats have absolute power, but they do have some.

[dragonwriter]

> I already mentioned the budget. If Republicans want to pass any actual tax cuts, that's another opportunity.

Not really, given the budget reconciliation process and its applicabilty to that: bypasses the filibuster entirely and only a simple majority is needed with a 20-hour capped debate time ij each house.

[DennisP]

From the Washington Post:

> Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-New York) said Thursday that he planned to support the Republicans’ funding bill; he needed at least seven other Democrats to overcome a filibuster and set the vote up for final passage. Nine others who caucus with Democrats joined him and nearly all Republicans voted to advance the measure....The 62-38 vote came after days of turmoil among Senate Democrats who were split on either working with President Donald Trump and Republicans to pass a continuing resolution that includes $13 billion in cuts to nondefense spending or allowing the government to shut down.

https://wapo.st/4jnGaem

[leptons]

> If Republicans want to pass any actual tax cuts, that's another opportunity. I didn't claim Democrats have absolute power, but they do have some.

No, they really don't have the power you think they do.

The Republicans don't need 60 votes in the Senate to pass tax cuts. They only need a simple majority, which they have.

>"Democrats, as the minority party, don’t have the votes to stop the GOP plan."

https://apnews.com/article/senate-budget-tax-cuts-spending-g...

You're crying that Democrats won't do anything, when they do not have the power to stop this. You're in need of some education about how the government works.