Ah sh*t, here we go again…

Look, we’re not expert negotiators here, but we’re pretty sure that telling the guy who just stole all your money that you’ll keep his rent paid and his lights on isn’t the best way of getting what you want.

In a few weeks, Republicans will need to pass a spending package to prevent the government from shutting down. Now, they’re asking Democrats to vote for their package, even though they’ve spent the last nine months spitting in our faces while they rip away our access to health care.

You might be understandably getting some deja vu from this whole situation. Last March, Senator Schumer advised Senate Democrats to vote for the Republican spending bill and prevent a shutdown… and Democratic voters were not happy (what else is new?)

This time, Democratic base voters and persuadable voters want Democrats to withhold their votes to get concessions from Republicans, even if that risks a government shutdown.

In a message test conducted with Grow Progress, we also find that voters are generally persuaded by seeing Democrats take a stand for their priorities. A broad message about health care funding increases net Democratic vote choice by +28 points among persuadable voters.

Voters want to see some fight in the Democratic Party, and we don’t necessarily need to bring a UFC fight to Congress to put on a show. The upcoming shutdown fight is an opportunity for Democrats to bring attention to the unpopular, extreme actions that Republicans have taken during Trump’s term, as well as secure some wins for the American people.

Although if senators want to put on some boxing gloves, that’d be alright too.

Read the full poll here.

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Here are some other highlights from DFP this week:
 

“They're quite aware of what they're going through.”

We all remember being a kid and thinking the adults in our lives were completely out of touch. And thanks to the rise of the Internet and the ability for kids to create their own online communities, that gap can sometimes feel wider than ever. 

But you really don’t have to know what six seven means to understand how young people are feeling about their mental health. 

That’s why we teamed up with our friends at Hopelab to survey young people directly. The poll of young people ages 13-24, shaped directly by young people’s input, challenges oversimplified narratives about their mental health while revealing significant disparities based on identity and economic circumstances.

We find that young people generally report positive mental health, and say that solo downtime, face time with their friends, and getting enough sleep have the most positive impact on their well-being.

But they also say that issues related to their family, friends, and school, as well as their current and future economic concerns are the largest stressors.

The reality of youth mental health is a lot more complex than some of the simplified narratives about phones and social media make it seem. Young people want to see real, tangible solutions that make them feel more secure about their futures, and they need more support at school and at work.

Read the full poll here.


Send your Venmo requests to Shell Oil!

Why does your local antique store have a better “you break it, you buy it” policy than the U.S. government? Oil and gas companies have truly been treating our climate like a bull in a china shop over the last century, and that bill is only getting higher and higher.

Our new poll with Fossil Free Media finds that 70% of voters believe climate change-related events have increased in recent years. A majority of voters also believe climate change (56%) and fossil fuel pollution (52%) will directly affect their household finances.

Additionally, roughly three-quarters of voters (74%) support requiring oil and gas companies to pay a share of climate-related costs.

At this point, we’ll take Venmo, Cashapp, Zelle, or even Afterpay. But if these fossil fuel companies think they can get away with polluting our planet for decades without having to foot the bill, they’ve got another thing coming.

Read the full poll here.



DFP In The News

Semafor: Dem voters want shutdown fight, poll shows

The City: Pollsters Missed the Mamdani Primary Sweep. Can We Trust Them in the General?

Teen Vogue: Gen Z and Millennials Prefer Socialism To Capitalism, New Poll Says

Axios: Exclusive: Half of young people plagued by loneliness, family problems

Politico: Is socialism going mainstream? A new poll suggests it might be

Jacobin: New Poll: Democratic Socialism Is Now Mainstream

Bloomberg: Schumer Finally Has a Plan for a Government Shutdown

The Nation: Beware the Centrist Dweebs Trying to Ape Zohran Mamdani

Jacobin: What Americans Think of Democratic Socialism

Salon: Democrats should play hardball in looming funding showdown

Axios: RFK Jr. criticizes Illinois' mental health screenings law

Newsweek: Republicans Get Warning About Government Shutdown in New Poll

KFF Morning Briefing: Half Of Young People Plagued By Loneliness, Family Problems

The Gothamist: ‘Progressive bromance’ over? Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander’s alliance grows strained

Meme of the Week