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By the time this episode runs, we’ll be two days from the deadline to fund the government. And if Republicans get there act together juuuust a bit, Democrats will have to decide if and how to wield their leverage to the end of forcing the Trump administration back into compliance with the rule of law.

In this episode, Matt and Brian discuss:

* Can Democrats hold out indefinitely, if Donald Trump refuses to faithfully execute the law, and win the politics of a government shutdown with the voting public?

* Can they wield the filibuster power to at least strip the funding bill of special goodies House Republicans added to unify their members?

* What would represent Democrats standing firm, and what would could as a betrayal of their constituents?

Then, behind the paywall, does the rapidly deteriorating economy change the equation at all? Does it give Democrats leverage to align against a clean funding bill, given that Trump has only been able to damage the economy so badly because he’s abused his economic powers? And what can Democrats at the state level do, short of encouraging Tesla vandalism, to make Trump and Musk feel pain for their dereliction of duty?

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Further reading:

* Brian argues that Democrats need to be prepared not just to blame Trump for economic turbulence, but to prebut all the lies he’ll tell about it.

* Matt says Democrats should learn from Trump’s economic failures, and re-embrace conventional economics.

* “Tesla faces vandalism and protests amid backlash” 🎻.