Listener supported WNYC Studios.

It's the Brian Laira Show on WNYC. Happy Friday, everybody.

So we learned since yesterday's show, you've probably seen it, that Senate Minority Leader

Chuck Schumer will not try to force a government shutdown, which would begin at midnight

tonight if Senate Democrats vote against a budget bill for the next six months

that's being voted on today. And because the Democrats don't have enough internal debates

going on right now, the decision not to force a shutdown is dividing the party over how to

best stop the Trump and Musk plundering of government services and the rule of law as the Democrats see it.

Why not by refusing to vote for this Republican budget, known as a CR or continuing resolution?

Here's Schumer yesterday on the Senate floor.

For sure, the Republican bill is a terrible option.

It is not a clean CR.

It is deeply partisan.

It doesn't address far too many of this country's needs.

But I believe allowing Donald Trump to take even more, even much more power

via a government shutdown is a far worse option.

So that's Schumer's basic argument. Things will get even worse for the American people in

his view because a shutdown would give Trump and Musk even more power with even

less of a requirement for due process, right? But here's AOC, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

of Queens and the Bronx, reacting yesterday on CNN. I believe that's a tremendous mistake.

Why? I think, well, first and foremost, the American people, if anyone has held a town hall or has seen what has been happening in town halls,

American people, whether they are Republicans, independents, Democrats are up in arms about Elon Musk and the actual gutting of federal agencies across the board.

...