Less than a week after bludgeoning Republicans at the ballot box across the country, Chuck Schumer just gave up his leverage to reopen the government based on a “promise” to vote on ACA subsidies.

We saw this coming, but we hoped this time would be different. We hoped Chuck Schumer would see the repudiation of Trump and his party last Tuesday as a sign that Democrats were on the right side of this shutdown fight—that voters were on their side and wanted them to stand firm and fight for health care, for SNAP, and for respect for law and order from this regime.

We are not shocked that Schumer failed yet another test. But we are disappointed. It is now crystal clear to us that he is either incapable of controlling the members of his own caucus or he is incapable of standing up to Donald Trump and the Republican Party. Either way, he must be replaced as Leader  immediately.

The opposition to Donald Trump cannot be shackled by leadership too weak or too foolish to resist it. Democracy cannot survive such weakness. Nor can a Party continue to put its faith in a man who believes voters are so stupid as to buy himself voting “No” on this capitulation to gaslight us in a desperate attempt to save his own skin.

Schumer’s political future ought to be finished. He must step down as Leader today, and he should face a serious, well-funded primary in 2028. Hell, maybe we'll support a challenger in a few years. Who knows.

Donald Trump and the Republican Party understand leverage and strength. They were willing to hold the country hostage to get what they wanted. They were willing to let millions starve, to bring commercial air travel to a halt during the busiest season of the year, and to do this even after their candidates were punished terribly for the shutdown in an election just last week.

Yet rather than use what leverage he had to get the concessions Schumer told the country he was fighting for, he caved. And he got a promise in return. This reinforces the lesson that Republicans can and should take hostages in any Congressional fight—because their opponents lack the courage to fight back and meet them head-on.

We refuse to lose our country because Chuck Schumer was too weak to fight for us. He must step down. If he doesn’t, Senate Democrats must take steps to remove him.

You should call your Senator today and let them know you feel the same way. If that's something you're interested in, you can find their office number here.

Thank you for being part of our team.

No Surrender