Fetterman says Dems are to blame for SNAP running out and ‘own’ gov’t shutdown: ‘Moving against our core values’

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Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing” lapse in food stamp funding.

“For me, fundamentally, it’s deeply, deeply distressing to know that 42 million Americans are going to lose their SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits,” Fetterman vented to CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“That’s one of the big reasons why I refuse to shut our government down,” the hoodie-wearing senator added. “I feel like the Democrats really need to own the shutdown. I mean, we’re shutting it down.”

The Keystone State Democrat has been one of three Democratic-caucusing senators who voted against blocking the “clean” stopgap measure to reopen the government, alongside Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine).

Fetterman has also been one of the loudest Democratic critics of the government shutdown, at one point going so far as to call on the GOP to use the “nuclear option,” and eliminate the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster.

nypost.com

Fetterman says Dems are to blame for SNAP running out and ‘own’ gov’t shutdown: ‘Moving against our core values’

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing&#82…
nypost.com nypost.com
 
ziggy said:
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing” lapse in food stamp funding.

“For me, fundamentally, it’s deeply, deeply distressing to know that 42 million Americans are going to lose their SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits,” Fetterman vented to CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“That’s one of the big reasons why I refuse to shut our government down,” the hoodie-wearing senator added. “I feel like the Democrats really need to own the shutdown. I mean, we’re shutting it down.”

The Keystone State Democrat has been one of three Democratic-caucusing senators who voted against blocking the “clean” stopgap measure to reopen the government, alongside Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine).

Fetterman has also been one of the loudest Democratic critics of the government shutdown, at one point going so far as to call on the GOP to use the “nuclear option,” and eliminate the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster.

nypost.com

Fetterman says Dems are to blame for SNAP running out and ‘own’ gov’t shutdown: ‘Moving against our core values’

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing&#82…
nypost.com nypost.com
Click to expand...
Just proves Democrats aren’t hiding under their desks, they aren’t afraid of expressing their opinions even when it criticizes its leadership, a quality the GOP lacks out of fear of their Messiah
 
archives said:
Just proves Democrats aren’t hiding under their desks, they aren’t afraid of expressing their opinions even when it criticizes its leadership, a quality the GOP lacks out of fear of their Messiah
Click to expand...
It proves that the Democrats are the equivalent of criminals holding hostages and demanding ransom.
 
Poor Anchovies.


Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is facing significant backlash from fellow Democrats for breaking ranks and repeatedly voting with Republicans on continuing resolutions to end the ongoing Schumer shutdown, which has stretched into its 35th day as of November 2, 2025.

Fetterman's outspoken criticism of his party's strategy centered on leveraging the shutdown to secure extensions of Affordable Care Act health subsidies has amplified intra-party tensions, with him labeling the tactic "embarrassing," an "absolute failure," and a cause of unnecessary "suffering" for millions reliant on programs like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), which lost funding on November 1.

Fetterman has been one of just three non-Republicans (alongside Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine) to support GOP-led bills to fund the government through November 21 or longer, voting for such measures over a dozen times while nearly all other Senate Democrats have blocked them.

In interviews, he's urged Democrats to "own the shutdown" and prioritize reopening the government before negotiating subsidies, arguing that "hungry Americans" and unpaid federal workers, including military personnel and Capitol Police, shouldn't be used as bargaining chips.

He has vowed to put "country over party," even if it costs him support within his base, and compared the isolation he's feeling to backlash he received for his pro-Israel stance.

The criticism from Democrats has been pointed and public.

Senate Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer's office and allies have dismissed Fetterman's votes as undermining party unity during a high-stakes fight against the Trump administration, with some accusing him of handing Republicans a political win by fracturing the caucus.

Progressive voices and commentators have piled on, calling his position a betrayal, labeling him a "defector" or "MAGA-lite"

One attack from a Democrat activist highlighted growing "tension" in the caucus, quoting Fetterman as accusing his own party of "playing chicken with the food security of 42 million" Americans.

Even moderate Democrats like Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) have indirectly rebuked the approach by trying to refocus blame on the administration rather than engaging Fetterman's calls for compromise.

This isn't Fetterman's first clash with party tactics; he led a similar bipartisan push in March 2025 to avert a shutdown, drawing "blowback" then as well.

However, the current standoff, fueled by Democrat demands for subsidy extensions amid expiring COVID-era provisions, has elevated the stakes, with Fetterman's defiance spotlighting cracks in Democrat unity just weeks before key ACA deadlines.

As the Schumer shutdown risks becoming the longest since 1981, Fetterman's stance continues to draw ire from Democrats who view him as a "traitor".
 
Noking said:
:lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup::lolup:
You really post some of the dumbest tripe on site.
Click to expand...
OIP.7M0ffJmzMaTShF9Pa3v3YAHaEL
 
ziggy said:
Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing” lapse in food stamp funding.

“For me, fundamentally, it’s deeply, deeply distressing to know that 42 million Americans are going to lose their SNAP [Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program] benefits,” Fetterman vented to CNN’s “State of the Union” on Sunday.

“That’s one of the big reasons why I refuse to shut our government down,” the hoodie-wearing senator added. “I feel like the Democrats really need to own the shutdown. I mean, we’re shutting it down.”

The Keystone State Democrat has been one of three Democratic-caucusing senators who voted against blocking the “clean” stopgap measure to reopen the government, alongside Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine).

Fetterman has also been one of the loudest Democratic critics of the government shutdown, at one point going so far as to call on the GOP to use the “nuclear option,” and eliminate the 60-vote threshold needed to break a filibuster.

nypost.com

Fetterman says Dems are to blame for SNAP running out and ‘own’ gov’t shutdown: ‘Moving against our core values’

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman tore into his own party for “moving against our core values” in shutting down the government and faulted Democrats for the “deeply distressing&#82…
nypost.com nypost.com
Click to expand...
NY Post not known for being factual.
 
Poor, poor, Anchovies.


John Fetterman (D-Pa.) is highly likely to face a primary challenge from within his own party in 2028, based on escalating tensions over his independent streak, which has alienated key Democrat factions in Pennsylvania and nationally.

His term ends in January 2029, and with the election still three years away, early maneuvering by potential rivals signals a brewing intra-party battle that could fracture Democrats in the nation's most critical swing state, especially after their 2024 losses amplified calls for ideological purity.

Fetterman's centrist drift since his 2022 victory, including his criticism of party tactics during the current government shutdown, support for tougher border enforcement ("My party has done a bad job about the border. Absolutely. Undeniable."), refusal to label Trump supporters as "fascists or Nazis," attendance at Mar-a-Lago events, and hawkish pro-Israel positions, has drawn sharp rebukes from progressives and Democrat party leaders.

Democrat strategists have been blunt: "Fetterman got elected on economic populism and turned into a MAGA apologist. I see no way he avoids the primary in 2028."

This sentiment echoes across the party, with Rep. Brendan Boyle labeling him "Trump’s favorite Democrat" for "kissing the ring."

Prominent Pennsylvania Democrats are already positioning themselves for a run, refusing to rule out challenges.

Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-Pa.), a vocal critic, has accused Fetterman of damaging the party's image and is weighing a bid after focusing on 2026 House races.

Rep. Chris Deluzio (D-Pa.), a progressive economic populist, is building a Rust Belt profile that contrasts with Fetterman's recent votes.

ormer Rep. Conor Lamb, who lost to Fetterman by over 30 points in the 2022 primary but has since emerged as a progressive favorite for his anti-Trump consistency, is actively touring the state and drawing crowds at events snubbing Fetterman. Democrats see a "rematch" as inevitable, with Lamb running left to promise a "straight Democrat vote."

These moves threaten a "Democrat vs Democrat civil war," as one strategist put it, potentially draining resources ahead of 2026 midterms and handing Republicans an opening if a more left-leaning nominee alienates moderates.

Fetterman, aware of the threat, has brushed off reports as "clickbait" while doubling down on his independence: "If somebody wants to primary me or the party wants to vote me out, I'm gonna go down telling you that this is wrong to do these kinds of things."

He cites data showing he votes with Trump only 6% of the time, less than some rivals, and has long harbored presidential ambitions, which could sidestep a Senate fight altogether.

Yet his fundraising has dipped amid the backlash, and progressive organizers like Indivisibles' Leah Greenberg have publicly called him out at rallies.

Sentiment is polarized: Far-left-leaning Democrats demand a primary ("Who is most likely to primary John Fetterman in 2028?"), while some even cheer the purge of the "last sane Democrat."

Ultimately, the Democrat Party's post-2024 soul-searching, debating whether to embrace moderates like Fetterman or double down on progressivism, will test Pennsylvania's "big tent."

A primary looks all but certain, but Fetterman's cross-aisle appeal could make him a tough nut, forcing challengers to navigate a state where swing voters praise his "common sense" and bipartisanship.

If he survives or bolts for a national run, it might expose deeper rifts; if not, it risks handing the seat to Republicans in the general election.
 
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