Democrats might never get what they’re asking for. But they seem to have significantly more leverage than the side refusing to vote for government funding usually does.

A new poll Thursday from the Washington Post tells the tale.

Democrats are the ones who withheld their votes from a “clean” continuing resolution to keep the government funded this week. And history suggests that’s the side that usually gets the blame. Americans have overwhelmingly said that shutdown debates are no place to try to force extraneous policy changes.

But at least initially, voters are actually blaming Republicans more.

  • WhyDoYouPersist@lemmy.world
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    2 days ago

    Hmm, stepping on rakes is about the only leverage I’ve seen US Democrats use. The world would be happily surprised if they did otherwise.

    • apftwb@lemmy.world
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      2 days ago

      I’m sure Democrats spend money internally on consultants and studies and polls, but it feel like they are rarely and randomly stumbling into good messaging and strategies.

      • GlitchyDigiBun@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Ah, you’re close to the point. Their job is to collect paychecks from their benefactors while getting as close to those poll values as possible for the greatest amount of voters. Those priorities should be exactly flipped, and that is why we have Trump and Co.