Fetterman says he won't back government shutdown as funding deadline looms over Senate

[Polybius]

Source: Post-Gazette

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania says he won’t vote to shut down the government. But the possibility of a shutdown heightened Wednesday afternoon as Democratic leadership in the Senate declared Republicans’ six-month stopgap funding plan effectively dead on arrival.

After a meeting with Democrats, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the measure passed by the GOP-controlled House on Tuesday evening does not have enough Democratic support to reach a vote, raising the stakes for lawmakers to scramble for a new deal before an 11:59 p.m. Friday deadline.

Mr. Fetterman, who earlier this month said keeping the government open is a core responsibility and that he refuses “to burn the village down in order to save it,” doubled down on Tuesday night after the House passed a continuing resolution keeping last year’s spending levels mostly flat other than a $6 billion increase in defense spending and $13 billion reduction in non-defense spending.

“The weeks of performative ‘resistance’ from those in my party were limited to undignified antics,” said Mr. Fetterman, who has frequently critiqued Democrats’ political messaging in recent months. “Voting to shut the government down will punish millions or risk a recession. I disagree with many points in the CR, but I will never vote to shut our government down.”

Read more: https://www.post-gazette.com/news/politics-nation/2025/03/12/fetterman-government-shutdown-republican-funding/stories/202503120059

[lapfog_1]

1. he might as well just declare his party alignment.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

22. All I can say is Chuck Schumer better hold the fuckin line against voting for that CR abomination!!

[The Grand Illuminist]

44. Now people know why filibusters are very important.

And not to be rid of at all.

[JohnSJ]

45. Yes, though realistically I wouldn't put it past the rethugs to get rid of it before this is all over.

[The Grand Illuminist]

81. The ball is in their court.

nt

[JohnSJ]

82. Unfortunately.

[Eliot Rosewater]

78. America is gone, over, for good. What remains is to be seen, but we better start

worrying about surviving the flu and covid and the next pandemic without ANY vaccines as of course RFK jr will make them all illegal.

He will also stop approving most drugs that save lives, because you know, he is insane.

But hey, 100 million of you did not have time to be bothered to vote last time

[benfranklin1776]

2. In the immortal words of Johnny Palmadessa....

To which I cannot add anything, other than I wholly and completely agree:

“As a Pennsylvanian who once had your back, I’ve got two words for you: F*ck you.”

https://open.substack.com/pub/johnnypalmadessa/p/a-democrats-bold-letter-to-senator?r=28s2x5&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

[3Hotdogs]

41. No more contributions from this N.J. guy, either.

[dweller]

3. Any one surprised, please raise your hand

✌🏻

[FoxNewsSucks]

5. Disappointed? yes

A little surprised. I realized the vote came down to him or a scumbag R, but still. . .

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

17. Not me... don't understand it either.

[JoseBalow]

4. I assume this was part of Schumer's calculus?

[FoxNewsSucks]

6. Somewhere, on a yacht, Manchin laughs. . . . .

[Ocelot II]

7. Well, I guess somebody had to replace Joe Manchin.

Looks like Fetterman is making himself useful only for the Dem head count, like Manchin.

[DrFunkenstein]

88. Soon to Be Another Joe Lieberman

Judging by his statements over the past few months.

[SheltieLover]

8. He needs to be primaried!

[elocs]

47. Fetterman is up for election in '28, that is, if we are still having elections then.

I am doubtful.

[SheltieLover]

49. I don't suppose voters are allowed to recall, right?

[elocs]

66. Yeah, I suppose you can try a recall.

But your post to which I replied said "primaried"..

[SheltieLover]

69. Some positions can't be recalled

Yes, I know. But 2028 is so far away I was just thinking of other options to unseat him soonrr, if possible.

[elocs]

72. In WI back in 2011 we had recall elections for some Republican state senators

and fortunately, mine was the only one that was recalled.
This was at the time when Republicans swept into power in the state from the midterm elections because too many Democrats were in a snit about Obama not getting single payer healthcare and so they didn't bother to vote while Republicans got out to vote like it was their duty. In 1 election the state flipped from Democratic control to Republican control, took the governorship, and Russ Feingold lost his Senate seat.
But we had peaceful marches in Madison that reached 100,000 people one day (I was there for that one.)

[SheltieLover]

83. Sorry to hear.

[displacedvermoter]

9. What is more "performative" than showing up

on the Senate floor dressed in baggy ass shorts and a hoodie?

[Tansy_Gold]

13. Well, I guess that means he knows "undignified antics" when he sees 'em.

n/t

[Deminpenn]

24. Point well made

I get Fetterman's a big guy. I've seen similarly sized men around where I live who dress the same way. Presumably it's more comfortable for them. But he ran (and won) for a job that came with a strict dress code. It's not that big a deal to buy at least one or two suits or a couple of jackets/pants that are tailored to your size and are also comfortable that you can wear to work and official functions.

[CrispyQ]

53. Imagine if a woman showed up dressed like he dresses.

[yardwork]

46. Fair point.

[Charlie Chapulin]

10. I wonder what his price is/was.

[Kali999]

15. fear

Of his Brazilin wife being deported.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

21. There's no logic to this madness... that's as good an explanation as any other.

[Bread and Circuses]

11. This surprises No One. The hoodie wearing Senator is a republican.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

18. I question a lot of Fetterman's decisions, but I wouldn't go THAT far.

[Think. Again.]

33. It is fetterman who is "going that far".

[Tansy_Gold]

12. Fetterman will, however, back corrupt CR

that gives more power to the 🍉💩 administration.

So much for that oath to protect and defend.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

23. Unbelievable!! Feel like I'm having a nightmare... somebody wake me up!!

[GreenWave]

65. The CR is a ruse to give Trumpty and Muskrat more $

[Buddyzbuddy]

14. F.ck Lurch. Sanctimonious 2 face bastard.

[vapor2]

16. Another Joe Manchin

[sheshe2]

19. Surprise

[Blues Heron]

20. I love the idea that the guy who wears a hoodie to the senate whines about performative... anything

[Deminpenn]

25. How Fetterman votes in the current Congress is mostly irrelevent

Dems are in the minority by 6 seats. In the last Congress when how Fetterman voted did make a difference, he consistently voted for Biden's legislation and judicial picks.

Living here in western PA, Fetterman is pretty in line with how residents here think. They don't want a government shutdown and they do want to see at least a modicum of MoCs working together. Fetterman is not Manchin, who actively worked to undermine Biden, he just believes what he believes. I've said this before, but I would not be surprised if Fetterman does not run for re-election in 2028.

[Think. Again.]

34. In the fight against fascism, strong, UNITED opposition is not irrelevant..

PA voted for him before he started showing his true colors, this change of party ideology is a betrayal of his voters.

[Deminpenn]

39. I'm in PA and voted for Fetterman

We all knew Fetterman marched to his own drummer. We saw it when he ran for and was elected lt gov. He has a record of fighting for the disadvantaged/marginalized as evidenced by his active management of the state pardons board to give people a second chance, refusing to live in the lt gov's mansion and instead letting families and kids come and use the pool, flying the rainbow flag out his office window even as the Rs ordered him to remove it and continuing to live in Braddock.

I think Fetterman has been more black and white about things than I expected, but otherwise, he's not done anything truly unexpected.

Jmho, but there's way too much hyperventilating going on over Fetterman.

[Think. Again.]

40. Yes, so you of all people should know...

....how much of a departure from his previous political positions his current actions and statements are.

By siding with the fascists, he is undoing any progress he may have made when he was more of a Leftist.

Giving support to, and enabling the extreme rightwing is not "marching to his own drum", it's the exact opposite.

[yardwork]

48. Fetterman's positions are not a departure from his past positions.

That's what the poster from PA is telling us.

Fetterman ran as a populist. Some people viewed him differently, and they're the ones who are surprised and disappointed. (Many of those folks seem surprised and disappointed by a lot of what happens in the real world, I've noticed.)

Fetterman consistently voted with Biden. His election was hard-won. His election was crucial to keeping Democratic control of the Senate. That meant a lot. The majority party controls committee assignments, whether bills even get to the floor, everything. Fetterman is not like Manchin or Sinema. He's been a reliable vote when the Democrats had the White House and Senate. We have neither now, and Fetterman is doing what he thinks is best for his constituents, in a state that went hard right this past election.

In my opinion, stronger minority leadership in the Senate would result in more cooperation from Fetterman. He's pissed off at the Democratic leadership, and he's not alone.

[Think. Again.]

63. Working with extreme rightwing politicians...

...and even voting for extreme rightwing cabinet nominees is certainly a definite departure from when he raised a pride flag at PA's capital.

Weak Dem leadership is no excuse for strengthening rightwing positions.

[yardwork]

71. I see it very differently.

I don't view politics the same way as you. While I disagree with almost all right-wing positions, I don't view the "left-wing" folks as necessarily pure or equitable. Plenty of "left-wing" people are showing themselves to be very anti-Semitic, for instance. They can also be very sexist and even homophobic. I think Fetterman is very annoyed by the "pro-Palestinian" protesters and it hardened many of his positions.

Populists see themselves as different from right wing or left wing. Without strong Democratic leadership, Fetterman is forging his own path, and clearly he views it as beneficial to find common ground with the ones in power.

We shall see if the voters in PA agree that this is a good idea.

[Think. Again.]

75. If you think we are in the midst of "politics as usual"...

...I believe you might not understand the dangers of the fascism vs. Democracy we are facing.

[atreides1]

79. Looks like he changed a little

In November 2020, Fetterman said Donald Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll" and that he "can sue a ham sandwich" in response to Trump threatening to file lawsuits in Pennsylvania alleging voter fraud in the 2020 presidential election.

By early 2025, Fetterman had made a number of moves some liberals criticized as cozying up to Trump.

[SunSeeker]

26. Republicans will need 6 more Dem votes besides Fetterman.

There's only 53 Republicans in the Senate. They need 60 votes to pass the CR.

[kelly1mm]

29. Or they can just get rid of the filibuster. Since MULTIPLE Senate Democrats are on record calling for the

end of the filibuster as an 'anti-democratic relic of Jim Crow' ending the filibuster should be a bi-partisan endeavor.

[SunSeeker]

30. Isn't Rand Paul the one doing the filibuster on this? nt

[kelly1mm]

31. A filibuster requires 41 Senators. No single Senator can filibuster a bill. I do understand that Senator Paul

is planning to vote no but I did not hear he was joining the Democratic filibuster.

But in any event the filibuster should still be ended as an 'undemocratic relic of Jim Crow' right?

[SunSeeker]

32. I meant Senatorial Hold, not filibuster. One senator can do that.

In the United States Senate, a hold is a parliamentary procedure permitted by the Standing Rules of the United States Senate which allows one or more Senators to prevent a motion to proceed with consideration of a certain manner from reaching a vote on the Senate floor, as no motion may be brought for consideration on the Senate floor without unanimous consent (unless cloture is invoked on the said motion).

If the Senator provides notice privately to their party leadership of their intent (and the party leadership agrees), then the hold is known as a secret or anonymous hold. If the Senator objects on the Senate floor or the hold is publicly revealed, then the hold is more generally known as a Senatorial hold.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senate_hold#:~:text=In%20the%20United%20States%20Senate,be%20brought%20for%20consideration%20on

[JBTaurus83]

27. I live in Philly

And I cannot wait for this man to be primaried. I never understood the obsession with this slob the first time he ran.

[58Sunliner]

28. I can't say what I think about this guy.

[Think. Again.]

35. I hear you loud and clear.

He strikes a perfect balance.

The fashion sense of kyrsten sinema and the honesty of joe manchin.

[republianmushroom]

70. Yup, the rules.

[Karasu]

36. Go fuck yourself, John.

[Raven123]

37. Coincidentally, I just got a fundraising letter from Fetterman

He just confirmed my decision to shut down my support for his re-election campaign.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

84. He has a re-election campaign already? He's not running until the 2028 race.

Planning ahead is great, but ...

[maxrandb]

38. The Senate is NOT "Voting for a Government Shutdown"

They are deciding if we are still a Democratic Republic, or NOT!"

They are voting on whether or not they will abdicate their Constitutional duty, by swallowing what 50.1% of the House wants to shove down America's throat.

They are deciding, with this vote, if freedom, or fascism reigns.

A shutdown can be avoided. All the House needs to do is remove all the "we surrender to King Donnie Dipshit" language and send over a one-sentence bill to the Senate.

"Funding will remain at current levels until ___________, 2025".

[PortTack]

59. Exactly! Thank you

[GiqueCee]

42. It's time to step down, John...

... you've betrayed your constituents, the Democratic Party, and ultimately, the entire nation. Otherwise, you will be primaried, and you will lose. Talk about "performative" behavior! Have you looked in the fuckin' mirror?

[FBaggins]

61. That's a tough battle to win

He has almost three years left on his term, so there's no way to force him out. Vote to remove his committee assignments and Republicans will just give them back.

Yes - we could primary him... but keep in mind that 2028 will be a Presidential election where we almost certainly will need PA in order to win. A contentious primary could damage the top of the ticket and give us president Vance.

[GiqueCee]

80. It was a rhetorical appeal...

... to whatever sense of honor and decency he might still have, but I realize that ship has probably sailed.

[MayReasonRule]

43. Those That Vote In Favor Of This Bill Are Knowingly Cedeing Power To Trump

Ceding power to Trump is abject moral depravity leading to further crimes against humanity by his illegitimate regime.

Those that save their country do no wrong.
I wholeheartedly agree.

Only fascists support fascists.
Only fascists willingly cede power to fascists.

Those that support the same... Are the same.

No Matter The Label, No Matter The Name, Fascist Depravity's Always The Same.

[Borogove]

50. Says the man who now engages in performative subservience.

I’ve been calling and emailing his office for weeks now and have yet to receive a response. My wife and I made significant financial contributions to his 2022 campaign and to say that we are very disappointed would be a gross understatement, to say the least.

[dchill]

51. Fetterman is just keeping his corner of Trumpdom clean.

Backing Republicans is no kind of populism. (Pssst - it's fascism)

[BlueKota]

52. Meet the new Manchin

Asshat

[Paladin]

54. Way past-time for Fetterman to be gone. (nt)

[Tootbsb]

55. How to be a republican when you don't have the balls to call yourself one.

[CrispyQ]

56. Holy shit dude, wake up!!

They're burning the village down!! But they don't have any intention of saving it.

[republianmushroom]

57. DINO ?

[maptap22]

58. I contributed to his campaign many times

and now I am sorry that I did. It has made me much less willing to give to dem candidates unfortunately.

[dutch777]

60. Yeah, he's my guy but between this and his Israel stance I think I need to move on. Too bad we lost Casey too...

....but by election not by some simplistic alliance with populism.

[the_liberal_grandpa]

64. Are you still sending donations to Dems?

Biggest donation mistake I have made

I sent this fool money when he ran for the Senate.

I also got bamboozled by Ruben Gallego of AZ.

Knowing now that I too am succeptible to politicians lying out of their asses to get elected, going forward I won't be donating to ANY NEW CANDIDATES who have not proven their loyalty to the party and values they claim to represent.

I have sent AOC a few buck and would send money to Bernie but currently, no one else.

Are you still donating to dems?

[mountain grammy]

67. Yes I am

Always have and always will. Our only hope.

[republianmushroom]

68. Will not donate money to the DNC.

[TBF]

73. Fetterman is an idiot - the democrats are not voting anything down

they are simply refusing to go along with the republican's slash and burn policies. EVERYTHING is in the republican court; it is all their responsibility. THEY are the ones who have to convince democrats to come to the table & then try to work out a compromise. Fetterman might as well embroider "I'm a republican" on his shirt, because he is using their talking points.

[bill]

74. Disappointing

He's been such a disappointment. he went from a progressive to an apparatchik.

[Beartracks]

76. Doesn't the Republican agenda lead to a recession already?

[aeromanKC]

77. Just get re- elected. (And stay in D caucus!!)

Last thing this country needs is to lose a D senator in a Blue'ish state.

[Polybius]

85. He got elected as a first term Senator in 2022

He'll be up again in 2028.

[DiverDave]

87. He's a goddamned REPUBLICAN.

So disappointing, all the work involved getting him elected, and he's a fucking REPUBLICAN.
Someone aught to sue for misrepresentation.
Asshole.