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Early in the week, as the government funding deadline approached, word got out that Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer was floating a new plan with his members to cut short a shutdown: a week- or 10-day-long bill to keep the government open so discussions could continue. This didn’t go over well, with progressive Democrats both inside and outside Congress loudly shooting the idea down. They had been nervous about Schumer’s resolve ever since he caved at the most recent funding battle in March, and they interpreted this as a sign he was wobbling. Within a few hours, Schumer got the message and publicly rejected the backup plan.

The shutdown would go on,

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