Current Affairs What the Government Shutdown Actually Revealed for Democrats (w/ Ettingermentum)
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Dec 27, 2025 Joshua Cohen, a political theorist and writer of the insightful Ettingermentum Substack, joins to dissect the recent government shutdown and its implications for Democrats. He reveals how the shutdown highlighted the party's reliance on centrist punditry and lack of long-term strategies. They discuss the Democrats' shift towards healthcare messaging, the consequences of following media advice, and the need for new leadership. Cohen argues that embracing left-leaning, pragmatic policies could resonate better with voters, especially on immigration and foreign policy.
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Pundits Drove The Shutdown Strategy
- The Democratic shutdown showed the party is guided more by pundits than conviction.
- Joshua Cohen argues pundit influence produced a timid, poorly planned confrontation rather than strategic leverage.
Shift From Moral Framing To Material Focus
- Democrats shifted from moral rhetoric to a narrow focus on material issues like premiums during the shutdown.
- Cohen sees that as a pundit-prescribed pivot that lacked coherent endgame or framing.
Pundit Writings Became A Roadmap
- Cohen ties specific pundit pieces (Ezra Klein, David Shor) directly to Democratic tactics.
- He argues these commentators provided a roadmap that the party then followed almost verbatim.