OPINION|Barry Richard: Warren, Markey Oppose Ending Shutdown

The Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer blinked and just like that the government shutdown is over after three days.

The Senate voted 81-18 to end a filibuster that has kept a continuing resolution from being passed that would fund the government through Feb. 8. With the filibuster over senators are expected to vote tonight to re-open the federal government effective Tuesday morning. The House is expected to vote to follow suit.

Schumer won nothing and in fact, may have placed his party's chances in the midterm elections this Fall in even greater jeopardy as the Democrats were seen as putting the interests of illegal immigrants ahead of those of American servicemen and citizens.  What Schumer claims as a victory is an agreement to negotiate the DACA issue, something he already had going into the shutdown.

The shutdown was a dismal failure for the Democrats, Schumer in particular.  The Democrats are clearly doing their best to obstruct the Trump Administration at every turn. If the economy remains strong ad things continue to go well the Republicans will do well in the midterms. But, November is a long way away and anything can happen between now and then.

It is going to be awfully hard to convince voters to support a Democrat party that has stood for nothing and opposed everything.

Just so you know, U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) voted against ending the filibuster and for continuing the shutdown.  Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) and Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) did as well.

Editor's Note: Barry Richard is the afternoon host on 1420 WBSM New Bedford. He can be heard weekdays from noon-3 p.m. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.