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Tap here to get this newsletter delivered to your inbox. The American people deserve better than the charade that just unfolded on Capitol Hill. The shameful spectacle engineered by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), and their Democratic colleagues amounts to nothing less than an abuse of public trust—a reckless and utterly pointless shutdown of the federal government, and the longest one in U.S. history at that. This was not principled resistance. It was a contrivance. Schumer and Jeffries, the putative stewards of the Senate and House Democratic caucuses, knew full well the consequences of pulling the plug on federal operations—missed food stamp payments, massive flight cancelations, and putting our active-duty service members at serious risk of not being paid. They engaged in a political stunt, pure and simple—one that endangered public services and exposed how fragile our federal machinery becomes when those in charge place cynical politics above the common good. In this record-breaking shutdown, Schumer and Jeffries essentially held the American people hostage: "Give us our way, or we’ll force the shutdown and make the American people suffer." That is not representation. That is extortion. To borrow from The Godfather, Democrats attempted to make us all an "offer we can't refuse." They failed. And make no mistake: The hypocrisy is staggering. For years, Democratic leadership has thundered about austerity, about "cuts hurting working families," and about government being the necessary vehicle for "social justice." Yet when confronted with the need to pass a budget or continuing resolution, they blink. They collapse. Or worse—they weaponize the budgetary process for partisan advantage. All the while, everyday Americans—federal workers, contractors, service recipients—bear the cost. Remind me which party supposedly represents the "little guy," again? Hakeem Jeffries stood at the podium, chest puffed, posture grandiose—as though he were defending the public interest. Chuck Schumer doubled down on his smirks and brinkmanship. But they allowed the shutdown to proceed. The minority party’s job in such moments is not simply to lament—it is to negotiate, engage, compromise. The Democratic leadership chose neither negotiation nor compromise. They chose obstruction. And for what? A few talking points, some fevered fundraising emails, and a new communist mayor in New York City? Give me a break. Democratic leadership couldn't even guarantee the continuance of the very expiring Obamacare subsidies they were ostensibly fighting for. It all amounts to a betrayal of trust. The promises of progress, of governance, of stewardship—thrown aside in favor of chaos. And the price is being paid by the least of us: the worker, the veteran, the citizen who just wants a functioning government. If Schumer and Jeffries truly cared about the American people, they would have been in the room, hammering out a deal, protecting services, shielding paychecks. Instead they opted for shutdown theater and public extortion. The American people deserve better. They deserve leadership, not hostage-takers. They deserve results, not stunts. And they deserve a government that works—not one that willfully chooses not to work out of self-serving political gamesmanship. Schumer, Jeffries, and the Democratic leadership have failed that fundamental duty. The bill is coming due. Voters are taking note. To keep up with me, follow me on Twitter/X, Instagram, and Facebook. You can listen to all episodes of "The Josh Hammer Show" at the Newsweekwebsite or on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts—as well as select radio stations across the country. Make sure to also order my book, Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West! (Signed copies are available for purchase!) Have a great rest of your week! We'll see you again next week. It’s Still the Economy, Stupid Republicans are licking their wounds after this Tuesday's ballot box defeats. But there is a lesson to be learned here. The various elections in New York City, New Jersey, and Virginia, viewed collectively, reminded us yet again of a perennial political truth: Americans still care first and foremost about their wallets. Read the full column.
