Last week, Democratic Minority Whip Katherine Clark (D-MA) said her party planned to use the suffering inflicted on Americans by the Schumer Shutdown as "leverage" against Republicans in negotiations on re-opening the government. It was a refreshing, albeit appalling, moment of honesty.
Clark knew what she said was terrible because she later tried to walk it back, claiming what she said wasn't what she meant.
Now her colleague, Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE), has offered more proof that Democrats have every intention of using the suffering of Americans as political leverage during the Schumer Shutdown.
Chris Coons believes that denying Americans their SNAP benefits may be “unpleasant,” but it’s worth doing because it gives Democrats political “leverage.”
— Senate Republicans (@SenateGOP) October 28, 2025
Absolutely deranged. pic.twitter.com/QgwNw8YpBJ
"Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. Frankly, this is our only moment of leverage, and although a very unpleasant tool to use," Coons said on C-SPAN.
Yes, Republicans have the majority. And Republicans have voted at least a dozen times to reopen the government. But they do not have the 60-vote majority required to pass a Continuing Resolution (CR) in the Senate, and Coons knows this.
Coons was roasted for his remarks.
He’s used to enduring unpleasant things for politics https://t.co/L2uxwBH5fZ pic.twitter.com/G0kZIdhUap
— (((Aaron Walker))) (@AaronWorthing) October 28, 2025
That video is hard to watch, and the fact Coons did nothing to stop Biden from violating his daughter's personal space.
“Frankly this is their only moment of leverage.” To pay for foreigners food, medical and housing to destroy our country and seize power forever https://t.co/AEdEk5vUg5 pic.twitter.com/CMebDS5AdJ
— Ter (@terkav60) October 28, 2025
The Hill reported that 40 million people are poised to lose SNAP benefits on November 1, and it appears the majority of them are households headed by immigrants, both legal and illegal.
Another Democrat admits the shutdown is theirs, even as the Official Line remains blaming Republicans (who have voted 12x to reopen the government with a clean funding bill). The “unpleasant” suffering is worth it for their political “leverage,” these Democrats explain. https://t.co/hWvcUDXjZ0
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) October 28, 2025
This is the entire governing style of the Democratic Party, even outside of the Schumer Shutdown. They create problems and then use the suffering of Americans as "leverage" to get what they want. We're watching this unfold in real-time with Obamacare and Democrats — who voted for Obamacare in 2010 — admitting healthcare hasn't gotten less expensive and the only "solution" going forward is government-run single-payer universal healthcare.
They refused to pay the troops.
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 28, 2025
They refused to pay federal employees.
They refused to keep the government open 12 times.
Now, Democrats celebrate their “leverage” while Americans struggle. https://t.co/GVjAxYCsMK
The Democratic Party is so broken.
Democrats are imploding. I thought they were the party that was supposed to "care" about people. https://t.co/za4GOmPHlk
— Dean Connel (@dconnel) October 28, 2025
The only people the Democrats care about are themselves.