Chuck Schumer’s first stint as the Senate majority leader is not going well. He has decided that the best way through it is to ram headfirst into a wall.

Schumer announced that he will bring the $1.75 trillion Build Back Better bill to a vote in the Senate despite Democratic West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin declaring that he wouldn’t vote for it. Schumer has, at most, 49 votes for the bill. It isn’t clear that Democratic Arizona Sen. Kyrsten Sinema is on board either, and Sinema herself is reportedly telling people that other Senate Democrats are hesitant as well.

What’s more, Schumer is also planning to bring a vote on the filibuster. Both Manchin and Sinema have been stalwart in opposing further changes to the 60-vote threshold, meaning Schumer is once again planning to bring a vote on something he doesn’t have the votes to pass.

Schumer is playing a game of chicken that he isn’t likely to win. Manchin has been consistent in his stance on the Build Back Better bill, and his fellow Democrats would rather attack him than negotiate with and convince him. Manchin and Sinema have both been resolute in their opposition to weakening the filibuster further. Barring a miracle, both votes would go down in flames.

And Schumer’s majority may go down with them. It has been clear for some time that other vulnerable Senate Democrats have used Manchin and Sinema as human shields against the outrage of left-wing activists. There are four vulnerable Senate Democrats running in 2022 and several more in 2024. If Schumer goes ahead with his doomed-to-fail votes, he would be forcing them to go on the record with their stances, leaving them to face their constituents at a time when Democrats and President Joe Biden are remarkably unpopular.

It’s a bold strategy, and it isn’t likely to pay off. Schumer has shown himself to be a subpar strategist, and a little more public pressure from progressive activists in New York or California isn’t going to make a difference. But it could sabotage other vulnerable Democratic senators and send Schumer back to the minority with whoever is left. We can only hope he follows through on his threat.