The Democrats do not have the majority in the House or Senate. They do not hold the executive office, and the Supreme Court has a MAGA majority too. The only thing left in the Democratic Party’s toolkit is forcing the Republicans to do their jobs, forcing the Republicans to get in line and vote for Donald Trump’s unhinged agenda, and forcing the Republicans into disarray. It was one thing for Democrats to partially capitulate to Congressional Republicans when Joe Biden was president – and I would argue that Speaker Johnson did most of the capitulating – because that was to ensure that a government led by President Biden would be able to function. But right now? With Elon Musk and Donald Trump destroying the government and the country? Yeah, the math isn’t mathing.
What happened: this week, Congress has been fighting over funding the government. House Democrats held the line, refusing to vote for a continuing resolution, a stopgap funding measure, and forcing Speaker Johnson to whip the votes in the House Republican caucus. Then House Democrats got knifed in the back by Senate Democrats. One Democrat in particular, Chuck Schumer.
House Democrats erupted into apoplexy Thursday night after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he would support Republicans’ stopgap government funding measure. House Democrats feel like they “walked the plank,” in the words of one member. They voted almost unanimously against the measure, only to watch Senate Democrats seemingly give it the green light.
“Complete meltdown. Complete and utter meltdown on all text chains,” said the member, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to offer sensitive details of members’ internal conversations. A senior House Democrat said “people are furious” and that some rank-and-file members have floated the idea of angrily marching onto the Senate floor in protest. Others are talking openly about supporting primary challenges to senators who vote for the GOP spending bill.
Schumer said in a floor speech Thursday that while the GOP measure is “very bad,” the possibility of a government shutdown “has consequences for America that are much, much worse. A shutdown would give Donald Trump the keys to the city, the state and the country,” Schumer said.
The comments likely clear a path for at least eight Senate Democrats to vote for the bill — enough for Republicans to overcome the upper chamber’s 60-vote filibuster threshold.
All but one House Democrat voted against the bill earlier this week, in large part because it lacks language to keep the Trump administration from cutting congressionally approved spending. “There were many battleground Dems in the House … that were uncomfortable, semi-uncomfortable, with the vote,” said one House Democrat. “The Senate left the House at the altar.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.), in remarks to his House colleagues at their annual retreat Thursday, lauded them for standing up to President Trump by voting against the bill, according to multiple sources. When he praised House Democrats’ votes, he received a standing ovation. When he mentioned Senate Democrats, members booed.
What we’re hearing: House Democrats’ text chains lit up Thursday night with expressions of blinding anger, according to numerous lawmakers who described the conversations on the condition of anonymity. “People are PISSED,” one House Democrat told Axios in a text message. Several members — including moderates — have begun voicing support for a primary challenge to Schumer, floating Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) as possible candidates, three House Democrats said. One lawmaker even vowed at the House Democratic retreat to “write a check tonight” supporting Ocasio-Cortez, said the senior House Democrat.
Another Democrat told Axios the ideation has gone a step further: “There is definitely a primary recruitment effort happening right now … not just Schumer, but for everyone who votes no.”
Plenty of members have also gone public with their dismay at their Senate colleagues. “I know I speak for so many in our caucus when I say Schumer is misreading this moment. The Senate Dems must show strength and grit by voting no,” said Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.). Said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.): “I don’t know where Schumer is coming from. … It doesn’t look good for the leader.”
What gets me is… how are Dems in the House and Senate not working together on this, how did they not come up with a plan TOGETHER? The House Dems played it correctly – force the Republicans to get the votes in their own caucus. That should have been Schumer’s response too, after all, the Dems are the minority in the Senate as well. Moscow Mitch is the one who should have been negotiating with Schumer and Senate Dems to get it through. Schumer’s argument is that Democrats would be blamed if thousands of federal employees are furloughed – but once again, that’s why you remind everyone that the Republicans have absolute power now.
New: Jeffries, Clark and Aguilar all have statement out slamming Schumer position.
“House Democrats will not be complicit. We remain strongly opposed to the partisan spending bill under consideration in the Senate.” pic.twitter.com/6znKEeUbuf
— Max Cohen (@maxpcohen) March 14, 2025
Photos courtesy of Cover Images.
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- United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) and United States House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (Democrat of New York) speak to the media after meeting with United States President Joe Biden on the debt limit at the White House in Washington, DC. Featuring: Senator Chuck Schumer and Representative Leader Hakeem Jeffries Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 16 May 2023 Credit: POOL via CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) speaks to reporters outside the White House in Washington, DC after attending an event highlighting the Biden Administration’s commitment to advancing the safe, secure, and trustworthy development and use of Artificial Intelligence at the White House. Featuring: Chuck Schumer Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 30 Oct 2023 Credit: Chris Kleponis/CNP/startraksphoto.com
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- United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) holds a press conference following a vote on Right to IVF Act in the US Capitol. Featuring: United States Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (Democrat of New York) Where: Washington, District of Columbia, United States When: 13 Jun 2024 Credit: CNP/INSTARimages
Tr*mp and Elno want a government shutdown because it would actually strengthen their arguments that government doesn’t work. In a shutdown, there are government workers who are “essential ” and those who aren’t. That’s what DOGE is looking for. Also, if the shutdown lasted >30 days, the president gets more power. It’s tough, but avoiding a shutdown is probably the right move.
If this bill gets passed Trump will gain more Executive power over spending anyway, that’s why Dems are so pissed about Schumer’s position.
https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2025/03/11/politics/government-funding-bill-spending
Exactly! The GOP willingly gave up their discretion and the power of the purse to Trump and Elon. I don’t think people understand how bad this is. If this CR goes through, Trump and Elon can be the final arbiters of what gets funded or not. That’s Article I of the Constitution and the GOP gave it up!! This is hair on fire time.
Schumer benefits the GOP much like Sen. Susan Collins (Maine). They do the elderly finger wagging, with pretend self-righteousness, but when it comes down to brass tack, they give into the billionaires and Trump.
Schumer isn’t the young, do right senator he once was. Power and money got him enthralled. He has forgotten the American people. And there are many more like him within rank and file dems.
Unlike Bernie, who has been out rallying in red MAgA country decrying the power and corruption of the Oligarchy and the betrayal by Trump and Musk, Schumer reads his lines and support this corrupt, undemocratic regime.
In Chuck Schumer, MAGA has its coastal elite. Chuck Schumer is exactly what MAGAs and billionaire want as the scripted opposition. All bluster, soft and toothless.
Essential means ‘required to keep the country functioning even nominally.’ Nominally is unsustainable. Further, Elon doesn’t need the excuse of a shutdown to destroy our government. He has already done away with huge swaths of it. And Trump is already acting like an autocrat with no guardrails.
You are suggesting that Democrats codify everything that has happened and everything that will happen as approved by Congress. You are also suggesting that for the fiction of somehow reigning Elon in, Trump should be given unlimited power in reallocating all of the money in the US treasury any way he wants.
Stopping this particular budget is literally Democrats only leverage.
Exactly. And today’s Joy Ann Reid’s Substack post in on point with headline, “What is the point of power if you’re not willing to use it?”
EXACTLY This @OriginalMich. Shut it down. Show not just Trump and Musk, but all MAGA what it will look like it when only essential personnel are working. “Essential” doesn’t mean what they think it means.
As a government employee under an extraordinary amount of stress, the last thing I’d like to be is furloughed. It is nice so have a salary and eat and pay your mortgage. A shutdown may accelerate the destruction of the government. It is a lose-lose situation for the democrats, but it is too late now.
Schumer needs to go. He’s weak.
I live in NYC. If Schumer runs again (and that is becoming more and more unlikely), he will get primaried. He’s not running again until 2028, though.
It’s true. And while it’s difficult to hear, I understand where he’s coming from. I’m not interested in rah-rah big talk from Democrats, I’m interested in strategy that is enacted.
I think Coach Waltz’s tour to red states is a great idea. It’s important that he’s making an effort to see what they have to say in those areas and to have real conversations with people. Especially now that their red state reps are not holding town halls and are ignoring their constituents altogether. I also think it would be a good idea if he hit up some blue states like upstate New York and Illinois too, plus some swing states.
Totally agree. I thought he should have stepped down before in 2018.
Always has been weak.
Dem leadership stays in their positions too long. Schumer, Biden, Ginsburg.. all too old and too stubborn to let the light in on the next generation of Dem leadership and we have to suffer bc of their doddering. The left has been tripped up by their own leadership for too long! People need to step down
The Democrats have no leadership. No plan. No coordination. No figurehead. No strategy. No message. It’s so disheartening to watch. I would love to see the party coalesce around a presumptive nominee – or a group of possibilities – and put them out front and center on all of this. Pete Buttigeig, Cory Booker, Amy Klobuchar. Someone. Anyone. Schumer is out of touch and old and needs to go.
Just this morning I was seeing chatter that maybe Mark Kelly is the guy? He has been standing up to Trump and Elon more than the others as of late.
Yes, they should start building up a nominee or a group of them. Pulling out someone three years from now will lead to what happened last year. There will be midterm elections even sooner!
The last thing we need in 2025 is a bunch of guys (they will all be guys) kicking off their presidential campaigns for 2028. Midterms first, egos second! Yet, here we are. Newsom platforming Nazis on his podcast as if he doesn’t even have a day job, Beshear attacking Newsom for platforming Nazis but just trying to get attention, my own governor going on a tour of red districts as if he doesn’t have a day job too, and Buttigieg once again declining to run for state wide office before running for president because white male privilege excuses him from the most basic political requirements. We ignore the midterms next year at our peril, but at least we’re well stocked with presidential wannabes promising to save us.
Chris Murphy was vocal in raising the alarm when other senators were quiet. He’s been an effective messenger.
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I was able to contact my Rep. The D Senator, nope. This is not a surprise, and very unwelcome! I do not understand how any D can not understand the political situation at this moment: Do not aid and abet the far right!!
Look, I’m FAR (like really far) from Schumer’s biggest fan. *However*…
I’m not sure a shutdown would play out the way upset Dems are thinking it would. This country elected Donald Trump and you think it’s going to grasp the concept that Republicans hold all the levers of power in the three branches?!?! I have zero faith in that sadly.
Also I agree with others that a shut down is probably exactly what Trump/Elon/DOGE want: to close it down and possibly not
open it up again. Especially if a false flag attack occurred during the shut down.
The stupid and sh*try thing here is–even if avoiding the shut down is the smart thing to do long term which…stayed tuned–COORDINATE YOUR ACTIONS!! If House Dems were blindsided, what even is that?!
I live on NH, so know a lot of Trump voters, and the attempts to blame things like the stock market on Joe Biden are not working. people are pissed.
if the government shuts down, it will seem like another example of chaos and mess. people blame the party in charge of the White House. let the Republicans eat it.
and quite frankly – who do the Democrats think they’ll win over by capitulating? the people who think it’s not the Republicans fault aren’t going to vote D anyway. it’s just infuriating their base because we don’t want to play ball. the days for decorum are gone right now.
If Schumer votes for this R bill in order to save us from a worser fate, what is going to stop the Rs from doing this again? And again? It’s like switching seats on the Titanic at this point: Sooner or later, democracy is sinking.
As to people not understanding about the Rs holding all levels of government, I don’t know what to say. They do. If the argument for voting for terrible laws is because the Ds are otherwise afraid of getting the blame, then something is terribly broken. That’s like being in a toxic relationship and trying to appease an abuser so you don’t get hurt.
I notice no one addresses my claim that the end game here may be Trump and Elon shuttering the for the foreseeable future.
I agree with all your assessments in a somewhat normal world. These are not normal times. I never would have even considered that a politician could force a government shut down and then contemplate never opening it again BUT HERE WE ARE. I 💯 believe he could try that.
So here we are. *shrugs* I didn’t say vote for all crappy laws carte blanche–I said voting for this government funding bill to avoid a shut down might be the temporarily disgusting but long term smart play. *MIGHT.*
Also a ton of people who haven’t been shredded by DOGE yet will have their jobs temporarily finished by a work furlough.
I really don’t know what the answer is. I just know it’s not as cut and dried as some would like to portray.
BeyondTheFringe, I do think Trump and Musk will do that. If Schumer helps them and the Rs out, then there might/ will be a delay. However, it’s coming, and the only question is the timing.
The far right continually moves the goalposts. Always.
BeyondTheFringe, I agree with you. According to an interview I saw with Schumer, Trump, Musk and the guy in charge of OMB want a shutdown. I think they’ve already done a lot of harm, but if government shuts down it will get worse even faster.
I think Schumer’s capitulation here is the result of a bigger problem that we discussed a few days ago – the Dems do not know how to get their message out.
Rs were already beating the drum about how it would be a government shutdown. And the Dems were letting them for the most part (not all Dems.)
To me, Schumer may think that a shutdown needs to be avoided because of how bad it will be for the country and how bad it will look for Democrats. But my thing is – CHANGE THE NARRATIVE. TAKE CONTROL OF THE STORYLINE. This is him admitting that the Dems cannot message appropriately and cannot fight in the press like the Rs can.
Becks, I know you work for the government/ are affected by potential shutdowns, and I’m sorry to you and all the others out there who might feel like I’m attacking you personally with what I said.
I feel upset by the state of the world at the moment and feel like a lot of us do not understand that history is repeating itself in a nasty way.
I live where the far right is in power, and many of the countries in my area suffer from the same blight. You can beat them back, halt them, but each time you appease them, you normalise them to a group of voters. Compromising is the political norm where I am, but for about 20 years, you can follow exactly what happens when you compromise and how it strengthens them. Hungary, France, Sweden, Italy, Serbia, etc, and where I live in the NLs. It’s been so frustrating to watch someone like Schumer, who is used to compromising and does want to help, do exactly what has not worked time and time again elsewhere. And know where it leads.
A couple of weeks ago, a Bosnian-Dutch woman was on Dutch TV talking about the far right and genocide. Genocide doesn’t start extreme: it starts with grievance, us-them instead of us, blaming groups and the goal posts are constantly moving. Europe and the US are on their way towards something horrific right now, and it really seems like a bunch of people do not notice that.
@ML I didn’t feel like you were attacking me at all! I personally support the Dems voting No here.
The state of the world right now is terrifying. And I agree with you re: Schumer. I think he does want to help, I think he does genuinely want to do good for his constituents, but I do not think compromising at this point is going to get him what he thinks it will.
The Democratic Party has gone the way of the Whigs. The lights are still on–and they are still begging us all for donations on a daily basis–but nobody is home and I don’t think the party as we know it will be around much longer. The centrist wing has ruined the party–the elected officials seem to be rolling over for the MAGA agenda and nobody in the real world is going to get out of bed to support a bunch of tech-bro wannabes and corporate shills. What are they proposing with regard to AI and the workplace? What about the environment (MAGA just changed the entire mission of the EPA)? What about….you know what? Never mind. Even this article is ridiculous, all about angry text threads and supporting AOC in the primary. That’s meaningless action–it’s one thing for those of us with jobs and lives outside of Washington to be keyboard warriors, but members of congress should be able to find a way to do something besides sending dirty messages to each other via cellphone. The economy is tanking and Trump’s favorables are sinking with it–and yet, they still do nothing.
Good lort. F#ck.
Nothing changes if nothing changes. Schumer is not fit to lead the Democratic party anymore. They are still so afraid of progressive Democrats. Yet they wonder why we aren’t seeing any progress?
My Senator, Jon Ossoff, who is going to face one hell of a re-election campaign announced that he will vote NO!
Schumer has always been weak. It was Nancy Pelosi who held the line during the first Trump administration which is what makes her subsequent betrayal of Biden that much more infuriating.
Ossoff and Warnock are the real deal, and I like how they speak up.
That said, there’s only one way for the Dems to survive the next four years: complete, total, fundamental opposition.
NO to anything *the other side* propose.
I don’t see Pelosi as any kind of hero or power. Pelosi, Bernie and his Bros, AOC and the progressives are a big reason why Harris didn’t win. They demanded she say chapter and verse exactly what THEY wanted about Palestine or they wouldn’t support her.
The Dems didn’t get their shit together and their people in line IMMEDIATELY behind Harris. Rethugs get in line and stay there – that’s why they win.
I don’t usually comment on political posts, but OMG and WTF?!! And never mind being furious, how are the Democrats not embarrassed? I’m a Democrat and I’m embarrassed. It’s like they’ve forgotten they’re a party. Aaaarrrgggh!
Now, I’ll go back to watching WLM.
Me either, because politics are on my mind too much. I’m embarrassed by CS and even though he’s making excuses for his change, he blindsided his colleagues and us. That’s not leadership or strategy, that’s colonizer patriarchy and knowing what’s best for the little ones. Imo. Urgh. I’ve also not commented much in general because I think my V. P. N makes me appear sus. 🤷🏻♀️I get the caution, though.
Harry Reid, a real leader, must be rolling over in his grave. Yes, Schumer has never been good at leadership, but he’s never spit the bit this badly before. There must be someone in the caucus more capable. Find that person, fire Schumer, and vote in the new leader. ASAP. Hanging House members like my representative out to dry on this should be enough to toss him out.
I’m on SSDI & Medicare…the government shuts down…millions are screwed & 🤬🤬🤬🤬 DOGE will come in and do WTF they want with NO ONE to see what they’re doing…unlike now…
As part of the 92% & one of the most vulnerable to this hellscape that we’re currently living in…I have to be pragmatic AF 😡 Y’all betta make sure Dems get the House in 2026…because THIS would’ve happened in 2016-2020 IF the Dems did NOT have the House during that 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬 first term…folks say how 🔥🔥🔥 🤬 Pelosis was back then…that’s because SHE had the majority for FOUR YEARS!
When you divorce feelings from this 😱 it is as simple as that😡
What makes you think there will be another election that gives the possibility of changing the situation? Because honestly I see dumpster fire declaring martial law and cancelling elections for 2026.
Eh…Gotta cross THAT bridge IF it happens… 🤬😡
Your payments would not stop in a shutdown. Most frontline CMS and SSA employees are considered essential and would keep working anyway. Or, if the shutdown extended beyond a few days/week, they would bring back most of the employees.
As it is there was an extended shutdown during the first Trump administration but a lot of people didn’t notice bc so many employees were kept on as essential.
Government shurdowns do not affect SSA and Medicare recipients. Payments are still made and processed. What it does mean is that the WORKERS are not paid until the budget has been passed. But they are REQUIRED to still work.
This is why we must be kind to each other.
I’ve need to remind the legal professional that all laws aren’t meant to be enforced at all times. And some laws are bad to begin with. It’s the police that ultimately keep us in a police state.
There have been special state elections since that 🤬🤬 got into office and Dems HAVE been winning in those elections…we just snagged a seat in Minnesota in a TIGHT race…we have to not only look at D.C. we have to look at what’s happening in districts ALL over the country…
Schumer needs to be primaried.
🎯
I miss the days of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi. Both fighters and strategists. Saved Social Security through coordination and strong communication.
Pelosi stabbed kamala in the back. I see no hero in Nancy
Government employee here (that will likely be fired within the next 6 months). There were no good answers. As far as I can tell, the CR is what it is and frankly this is what the American people voted for. Dems TRIED TO TELL THEM. Anecdotally, everyone is pissed or loves what Trump is doing, but no one is saying that if they had to do it over again they would have voted for Harris. This is the cost of racism in America. The choose to live in ignorance of project 2025 and they wanted a president that would “do something”. Well here we are: teetering on a manufactured recession because we have a president who wants a return to the gilded age, and a congress that is abdicating their responsibility of oversight and powers of the purse. 50% of Americans want this. Elections have consequences. 92% are hunkering down cus we know what’s coming. So let’s buckle up.
The Democratic Party must be completely overhauled, from the studs up, or it must be replaced by a true working class party. Dem leadership must go.
I think we’re screwed either way via shutdown because of how they’ll take advantage of it either way (and really, what does it matter if we give them executive power to do these things if they’re just doing it anyway and Congress doesn’t stop them?), but the real story here is that the House and Senate are not communicating and working together. That’s the real problem.
My bet is the party is reeling after the November loss, and really…I can’t be surprised they are. Americans made their choice clear whether by active vote or apathetic sit out. The fascist is who they wanted. It didn’t matter how many states she visited, how much she talked about economy and very real, clear ideas for tackling things like housing prices, it didn’t matter that healthcare access was on the line, it didn’t matter that women are literally dying from sepsis in emergency rooms from miscarriages, it didn’t matter that LGBT+ were being targeted, it didn’t matter that thousands of people would be deported, and it didn’t matter that Ukraine, Gaza, and the rest of the world would be functionally worse off with the largest nuclear power falling into the hands of fascists. When you’re dealing with a population that cares that little for one another, when the youngest voters are actually *supportive* of Trump because they’ve been spoonfed conservative media via TikTok and Twitter for eight years, what exactly do you do?
There’s a fair amount of leftists who refuse to compromise on anything at the cost of losing EVERYTHING, and then on the right, they don’t have to compromise because, heads up, they won! We let them! It’s over! Most important election of our lifetimes, and we failed the test miserably. Even 1930s Germans didn’t have it this good. This sh*t was open book.
America is the child that can’t wait to touch the hot pan no matter how many times we push them away. At some point, you have to let them learn by experience. The tragedy is in how many innocent people will get hurt along with them.
About lefty’s compromising. Compromise is a two way street. So many safety nets have been stripped and the “the other lefty’s” said nothing because they only care about one safety net. Then they get upset when others stop trying to engage. That side refused any compromise.
I am so disappointed in my senator. The Democrats need to oppose Trump’s insanity at every turn, and definitely stand up for this country’s most vulnerable by opposing a budget that cuts Medicaid and SNAP.
Democrats are just outright really bad at politicing. They need lessons on how to be effective politicians.
I lost my ever loving mind when I saw this. I called my local congressman, (Oregon) I also sent Chuck an email. I then posted a way to send Schumer an email on blue sky. I told him either do your job or retire. I’m sick of the inaction, AOC and Jasmine Crockett and Bernie have been the loudest. I expect anyone who wants their job to do the same. Anyone unable to needs to retire.
Scheumer is a single issue voter/senator. It’s why he had to fight hard for his seat most elections. He also represents a lot of single issue voters. He was absolutely the wrong person to make the lead. He won’t fight trump. Look at how affirmative action in schools got rolled back. The democratic leaders didn’t put up a fight.
I wanna know WHEN Senate Dems DIDN’T screw US 🇺🇸 to the wall? In my 57 years of life…I can count on ONE HAND when Democratic Senators stood up and ACTED like Democrats…back when Jimmy Carter was POTUS Senator Ted Kennedy and HIS DEM CABAL 😡 gave Carter MORE trouble than the GOP…even under Clinton he found it easier to work with 🤬 GINGRICH then some of his own…Dick Durbin has been my Senator damn near ALL OF MY LIFE…and he didn’t say PEEP when Reagan/Bush/The Lessor Bush 🤬 was DECIMATING Vets & the social net…Harry Reid was so far to the right at times…I THOUGHT he was gonna switch parties…
THIS is why I ain’t shocked ONE BIT by what’s going down….
I’m left to believe that the Democrats are secretly ok with fascism and starving out America’s poor and elderly.
Yep. Because they aren’t even putting up a strong opposition
They did it. Unbelievable.
UK / Scottish CB’r here with a question! Once an election is over, why does the losing candidate (Harris) just totally disappear? Do they not continue to lead the dems as the opposition to coordinate and keep the gop accountable. From what I’ve seen it’s just random representatives that pop up and fighting the good fight but no real strategy.
She has no “job” politically right now. She was VP but had to vacate it. She didn’t win the election. She doesn’t get another job/role unless she ran for it and was voted in by the constitutes. Most VPs or Presidental hopefuls either take up humanitarian goals post-electuon but even then it’s typically something specialized and they have a “waiting” period before they come out to the public again. But Harris loss the election and has no real responsibility anymore. She’s a regular citizen now.