In the wake of Senator Chuck Schumer's decision to advance a Republican Government funding bill, guest host Michael Steele delves into new poll numbers that may come as a wakeup call to complicit Democrats in Congress. Tim Miller and Molly Jong Fast join to discuss the fallout over Schumer's approach and why Democratic voters want the party the fight back harder against Trump's drastic actions. As Republicans cower and hide from angry constituents, Congressman Mark Pocan of Wisconsin joins to discuss how Democrats can capitalize on voter discontent. Meanwhile, MSNBC Legal Analyst reacts to Trump's decision to invoke an antiquated wartime power to deport migrants without due process, and whether he'll defy the courts in the process. And with a trade war looming, Washington Post columnist Catherine Rampell joins to discuss Trump's erratic trade policy, and why Wall Street seemed to underestimate their impact. Check out our social pages below:https://twitter.com/InsideWithPsakihttps://www.instagram.com/InsideWithPsaki/https://www.tiktok.com/@insidewithpsakihttps://www.msnbc.com/jen-psakihttps://bsky.app/profile/insidewithpsaki.msnbc.com
Full Episode
Okay, folks, the reviews are in. A brand new poll out this morning is full of bad news, and not just for Donald Trump. Plus, as Republican lawmakers run and hide from their constituents, I'll talk to Congressman Mark Pocan about his decision to fill the void. And later, after a judge blocks Trump from using a wartime law for deportations, Andrew Weissman is going to tell us what happens next.
I'm going to bet a lot of you watching at home right now are just a little bit fed up with Donald Trump and his actions. I'm going to bet you want Democrats to do something about it. Now if that sounds like you, and I'm just guessing here, you're not alone. Just right now, some new polling out from NBC News shows that 54 percent of voters disapprove of Trump's handling of the economy.
That's the worst number he's ever seen, dating back to his first term. And a whopping 82 percent of voters say the state of the economy is either fair or poor. So, basically, most people aren't happy. But what do they want to do about it? That's always the question. Well, the poll also found that the majority of Democrats want their leaders to wake the hell up and fight back.
Just 32% of Democrats say they want their members of Congress to make compromises with Trump, while 65% say they want leaders to stick to their positions, even if it means not being able to get things done in Washington. Now, that's important to note. Why? Because it's the total opposite of where those numbers stood back in 2017. Because guess what, Toto? We're not in 2017 anymore.
Things have changed, but unfortunately, not every Democratic leader seems to have gotten that message. We saw that this week when Chuck Schumer and nine other Democrats voted with Republicans to advance a continuing resolution that keeps the government open through September. Schumer says a government shutdown would have been a worse option. Really? You really think that?
I mean, how much worse could it get? They're already closing down agencies and firing people. So, worse? At the end of the day, no matter what reason he may give, Schumer backed down from the fight. That's the bottom line. This wasn't about what happens on the other side of the shutdown. It was the fight regarding the shutdown. He waved the white flag. He handed Trump a win.
And Democrats are pissed. Just listen to this response from House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries on Friday. Is it time for new leadership in the Senate? Next question. Have you lost confidence in him, the fact that you guys see this so differently? Next question.
A bit of a sidestep, but then again, folks, not really. Schumer's former leadership partner, Nancy Pelosi, also took a swipe, saying, quote, this false choice that some are buying instead of fighting is unacceptable. AOC, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also went after Schumer, saying there is a deep sense of outrage and betrayal and calling this a huge slap in the face.
And whispers of a primary challenge or leadership challenge, you know, as a matter of fact, are getting louder. So, folks, here is the deal. Bear with me for a second. I think I'm having a bit of a deja vu. I don't know about you. The year is 2009. Democrats are at the peak of their powers. Republicans are in retreat, in a tailspin, confused and not knowing what to do.
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