Behind the scenes, several of Schumer’s Democrats rebuffed efforts by the White House to privately discuss off-ramps for a shutdown, insisting that Republicans must come to the table instead of trying to peel off centrist Democrats like the last shutdown. “The White House hopes to avoid another debilitating government shutdown, and invited Democrats for a listening session to better understand their position. It’s unfortunate their leadership blocked the meeting,” a senior White House official told CNN. But those demands, according to multiple Democrats, risk uniting the base behind a set of unrealistic priorities. GOP leaders, including the White House, have not yet responded to Democrats’ proposal.