Chuck Schumer must go as Senate Democratic leader. Period.

We need a more effective fighter

Democrats need a new leader in the Senate. That was my very point Sunday night while appearing on MSNBC.

I was actually booked on MSNBC to discuss Trump starving his own people with his SNAP stoppage, but minutes before our segment began, news broke of the potential “deal” in the Senate. We soon learned that eight Democratic Senators were siding with the GOP to open the government without reinstating the ACA subsidies—meaning millions would be priced out of health insurance coverage.

But there was something else we learned from MSNBC reporter Kevin Frey reporting live from Capitol Hill that has barely registered in the coverage. That was the fact Chuck Schumer was barely part of the talks between GOP and Democratic Senators that led to this abomination of a “deal.” We then learned Schumer was voting “no” on the deal in a craven effort to distance himself from his own failure.

Together these two pieces of news together meant for me that Schumer had to go! And the reason is simple: Schumer is not the leader we need at this time when the stakes are this high. We need someone who can creatively drive media narratives, change public opinion and keep the Senate Democrats on the same page. Schumer has failed on all counts.

Like many Democrats, I already harbored grave concerns about Schumer as Democratic Senate leader. He is an old time, corporate Democratic politician who is able to raise money by long protecting Wall Street and corporate interests--best summed up by this 2009 Politico headline: “Wall Street money rains on Schumer.” Democrats like Schumer stand in the way of transformative change that helps the working class by siding with the interests of corporate America—since the latter funded his rise to power as a Senate leader.

In March, Schumer sided with the GOP to fund the government—receiving nothing of substance in return. And during the recent race for New York City Mayor, not only did Schumer refuse to publicly endorse the Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani—he even refused to say if he voted for him. That was atrocious.

But it was Schumer’s utter failure of leadership in this shutdown that demands Democrats choose a new leader who is effective. There are so many questions that the eight Democratic Senators who supported this deal in exchange for nothing but an empty promise for a (possible) future vote on ACA subsidies need to answer. One of the most glaring is why does the proposed budget deal include funding numerous items from military construction to the FDA—yet not fund the ACA subsidies. Why agree to any funding the GOP wants?!

However, the blame falls on Schumer for not publicly shaping the media narrative around the ACA subsidies given how popular extending them are. Keep in mind nearly 80 percent of Americans per recent polls support reinstating the ACA subsidies that the GOP ended to fund a tax cut for their wealthy donors. Add to that, nearly 60% of Republicans—yes, Republicans—support reinstating these subsidies.

Despite how some in the corporate media want to frame this, fighting for health subsidies to be reinstated did not pit the progressives versus the moderates in the Senate. Again, nearly 80% of all Americans support the ACA subsidies being extended—including almost 60% of Republicans.

Schumer should have been pounding that message home daily and enlisting his fellow Democratic Senators to join him in finding creative ways to break through in the press. Instead, Schumer’s idea of getting press is standing on the Senate floor in an empty chamber droning on to the camera. That is why Schumer just lost a fight on an issue supported by nearly 80% of Americans!

Second, Democrats just won huge victories on Tuesday—meaning we should have had better leverage to make a deal. Instead, we learned Schumer was barely involved in the talks that led to the eight Democratic Senators defecting.

Third, this is just another example of Schumer not being able to deliver for the Democratic base. A recent poll found that 81% of Democratic voters said that Democrats in Congress should “refuse to approve a budget unless it includes extending these tax credits, even if it means the government remains shut down.”

That is why the backlash of the Democratic base online to this deal was off the charts. What happened next though is a testament to the increasing power of the Democratic rank and file. That is when we saw Democrat officials vocally slam the deal and even call for Schumer to go—especially some preparing a likely 2028 run.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom posted one simple word in response, “Pathetic.” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker wrote, “This is not a deal — it’s an empty promise. Trump and his Republican Congress are making healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.”

Then came Democratic members of the House and even Senate. AOC stated online, “People want us to hold the line for a reason. This is not a matter of appealing to a base. It’s about people’s lives.” Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to fight the legislation in the House unless the ACA funding was reinstated.

Bernie Sanders recorded a video in the Senate hall trashing the deal, saying the vote this past Tuesday told us, “Just on Tuesday, we had an election all over this country, and what the election showed is that the American people want us to stand up to Trumpism, to his war against working-class people, to his authoritarianism” But he added, “Tonight, that is not what happened.”

Democratic Senator Chris Murphy made a video moments after voting “no” on the deal declaring, “There’s no way to sugarcoat what happened tonight. And my fear is that Trump gets stronger, not weaker, because of this acquiescence.” He added, “I’m angry - like you. But I choose to keep fighting.”

Of course, Trump and GOP leaders were taking a victory lap given they got exactly what they wanted. As GOP Speaker Johnson put it Monday morning, “It vindicates our position in this all along.”

What did Schumer say? He delivered a typical milquetoast response: “Because of Republicans, Americans are going to suffer immensely as this health care crisis gets worse,” adding, “Therefore, I must vote no.” The lack of fire in that statement sums up the problem with Schumer.

And that is a big part of why Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna called for Schumer to go, writing, “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”

We need fighters, not folders. And fighters who are effective at messaging. Neither of that is Schumer. That is why Schumer must go as Democratic Senate leader.

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Here is a clip of what I said on MSNBC last night as the news broke:

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