In a recent episode of Raging Moderates, co-hosts Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov criticized Senate Democrats for what they see as a major political failure.
Eight Senate Democrats joined Republicans to end the longest U.S. government shutdown in history, but without securing a firm deal on healthcare.
Instead, the agreement included only a vague promise to revisit Affordable Care Act tax credits in December.
Galloway was unsparing in his assessment:
“We have basically told Trump and the Republicans that as long as you continue to show the willingness to be depraved and cut off food assistance to your own constituents, we will cave.”
Fallout and Frustration
Tarlov said the decision undercut the momentum Democrats had built after recent electoral wins.
“It’s especially frustrating in light of the great election night we had on Tuesday,” she said. “It felt like Democrats had found some backbone.”
She argued that Democrats gave up too soon, even as the shutdown began to create real pressure, from halted food stamp benefits to air travel disruptions. “Democratic voters and the caucus will not forget,” she warned.
Galloway echoed the frustration, questioning the rationale for enduring 40 days of shutdown hardship only to retreat. “I can’t understand why we would put people through 40 days of this kind of misery only to cave,” he said.
“We’ve created a series of incentives that will come back to haunt the most vulnerable in our society,” he said.
Schumer’s Role Under Scrutiny
Although Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) voted against the bill, Tarlov implied that he had a behind-the-scenes hand in allowing it to move forward.
“I imagine that yesterday he told his wife and children, ‘I’m retiring. I’m not even getting into this,’” she said, suggesting the political damage could be lasting.
Galloway agreed. “We look very weak. I think this is a disaster, an absolute disaster for the Democratic brand,” he said, adding that the long-term effect may be an emboldened Republican Party and a disillusioned Democratic base.
Other Options Left on the Table
Galloway proposed that Democrats could have used more strategic pressure without harming the general public.
His idea: ground private jets during the shutdown to force wealthy stakeholders to feel the impact.
“Within about an hour, every senator and representative would have heard from the 12 very wealthy people that have that person on speed dial,” he said.
“Once they started being impacted, both sides would have been very much encouraged to figure something out.”
Instead, he argued, Democrats shielded the powerful while everyday Americans suffered.
A Costly Signal
Galloway warned that the decision sends a clear message: cruelty works.
“When your enemy convinces you that as long as they act depraved, they will win, guess what: they’re going to do more of it.”
Tarlov said the move came at the worst possible moment. “It hurts us at such an insane inflection point in our fight to find our way in pushing back against the Trump administration.”
Galloway concluded that the problem runs deeper than just this one decision.
He said Democrats often fail to make the hard choices required for lasting impact.
“This was wrong strategically, ethically,” he said.