Hochul and James Rally as Shutdown Exposes Democratic Failures

The federal government is once again in partial shutdown and Democrats in Congress chose brinkmanship over governance. In their standoff with President Donald Trump and Republicans, Democrats failed to secure any meaningful concessions. The outcome is the same as ever: services labeled “nonessential” are unfunded, federal workers are furloughed, and the public is left caught in the crossfire of Washington dysfunction.

New York Democrats flocked to New York City this week to stage a political rally. Governor Kathy Hochul stood alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and Attorney General Letitia James in what amounted to little more than political theater. Hochul tried to score points with the base by recycling Trump’s famous line, declaring, “I’m sad to say this but America has not been made great again.”

It was a revealing comment. Instead of owning up to her party’s failures, Hochul used the rally to throw barbs, ignoring the reality that her administration in Albany faces crises of its own from declining public safety to a tax-and-spend culture driving businesses and families out of the state.

For Schumer, the shutdown could not have come at a worse time. He already faces sagging popularity, with the Siena Research Institute recording his lowest favorability rating in twenty years at just 39%. Schumer’s decision to go along with a stopgap deal earlier in the year angered progressives in his caucus, but his poll numbers show that playing both sides has left him weakened. Hochul’s full-throated defense of Schumer only ties her further to a political brand in decline.

James, meanwhile, tried to frame the shutdown as proof of Republican recklessness.

“This shutdown is just another example of chaos and confusion and pain for New Yorkers,” she said. Yet James’s track record hardly suggests competence. She arrived at the rally celebrating a temporary pause in federal funding cuts after suing the Department of Homeland Security.

The reality is that New York has been swimming in counterterrorism and homeland security funds for years. According to DHS, the state has received more than $3.6 billion since the creation of the Urban Area Security Initiative, accounting for nearly a third of all funds nationally. Yet $1.6 billion in those funds remain unspent, much of it sitting idle in New York. A DHS statement noted bluntly that “fraud, waste and abuse” has plagued the program and that FEMA would now focus on better oversight.

In other words, while James and Hochul attempt to posture as defenders of New York, their mismanagement of existing resources is already well documented. Their habit of crying foul whenever federal dollars are scrutinized has become a political strategy. It is easier to blame Trump and Republicans than to explain why billions remain untouched or poorly allocated under their leadership.

Hochul’s decision to align herself so tightly with Schumer and James may haunt her politically. She has struggled with weak approval ratings and mounting criticism from suburban voters who feel alienated by her embrace of progressive policies. Her offhand jab about Trump’s slogan – “America has not been made great again” – may please liberals, but will resonate poorly with moderates and independents.

James, for her part, continues to wield her office as a political weapon. Her long crusade against Trump has made her a darling of the Democratic left. Rising crime rates and legal scandals only add to the growing perception that state Democrats are better at stoking partisan battles than addressing the issues their constituents actually face.

Hochul and James Rally as Shutdown Exposes Democratic Failures