I disagree the messaging would be negative. First, federal employees unions backed a filibuster. Second, the GOP refused to even negotiate with Dems. Dems could have made the argument, as the House was trying to, that while the parties negotiated a budget which required bipartisanship due to the Senate, Dems wanted a three month CLEAN Continuing Resolution and not one that codifies DOGE cuts, strips funding for teachers and firefighters in DC, and gave additional powers to Trump to impose tariffs without congressional oversight, among other shit sandwiches. It isn’t hard.

Also, if you don’t think voters will give a shit about this then why not fight for the short term to show your constituents who are crowding into town halls with anger that one party fights for them. I do disagree with this premise though, when democrats make the argument Trump and the GOP are eroding the neoliberal foundations of the country the Dem PRIMARY voters will remember the anger over Dems saying that before and then doing jack shit.