The Democrats’ shutdown debate is about something much bigger

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) speak to reporters on July 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. | Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images Democrats are currently in the midst of whether to shut down the government as a response to President Donald Trump’s lawlessness — see this recent Ezra Klein column for an overview of the arguments for and against. What struck me, reading Klein’s assessment, is how centrally the internal Democratic debate revolves around the question of “normalcy.”  Not whether the second Trump presidency is normal: At this