Article snippet: Senate Democrats are playing hardball as they try to strong-arm Republicans to buck MORE and bring up legislation to end the partial government shutdown. A growing number of Senate Democrats, backed by progressive outside groups, are calling on the caucus to filibuster any legislation until Republicans give a vote to a House-passed package to fully reopen the government. Senate Democrats are in the minority, but if they are able to unite 41 of their 47 members behind the strategy they can grind the Senate to a standstill in an effort to ratchet up pressure on Majority Leader MORE (R-Ky.), who has refused to take up any government funding bill not supported by the president. Minority Leader MORE (D-N.Y.) handed the effort a significant boost on Monday, when he began telling colleagues he would vote against taking up a foreign policy bill on the Senate floor this week because of the shutdown fight. “Schumer has notified the Dem caucus that he will vote against proceeding to S.1 because Senate Republicans should instead bring to the floor the House-passed bills to reopen the government,” a senior Senate Democratic aide said. The escalation in shutdown tactics comes as the partial funding lapse is in its third week with no signs of progress toward a deal that would reopen roughly a quarter of the government. Recent talks among Vice President Pence, administration officials and congressional leadership staff appeared to go nowhere. In a sign of digging in — and raisin... Link to the full article to read more