Schumer shutdown shuttered

Democrats over the past six weeks: We will not vote to re-open the government until there's a renewal of the ACA subsidies that expired. 

Republicans: 

The Democrats openly bragged about how working people struggling was something they could use as leverage to get what they want. But in the end, the suffering was starting to hurt Dems politically, so they were left with no choice but to relent. 

The Senate passed legislation Monday night to end the longest government shutdown in history after a splinter group of Democrats joined Republicans to break the gridlock.

The legislation, which passed 60-40, would fund the government through January 30 and provide funding for some government agencies through the end of the fiscal year. The House is expected to take up the legislation as soon as Wednesday.

Senate Democrats opted to shut the government down 41 days ago, refusing to back a House-passed continuing resolution and demanding instead that Republicans agree to extend Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year as part of any government funding bill.

Eight Senate Democrats ultimately chose to break ranks after concluding that Republicans intended to stand their ground as government services stalled and air travel degenerated with the holidays fast approaching.

“We had no path forward on health care because the Republicans said, ‘We will not talk about health care with the government shut down,’” said Senator Tim Kaine (D., Va.). “And we had SNAP beneficiaries and those relying on other important services who were losing benefits because of the shutdown.”

Kaine was joined by fellow Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, Maggie Hassan, Jeanne Shaheen, Jacky Rosen, Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman and Angus King. Senator Rand Paul was the lone Republican to vote against the bill.

Since Durbin is not seeking reelection when his current term is up next year, he felt he could say what many of us already knew but his Dem colleagues didn't have the intestinal fortitude to convey.  

BREAKING: Senator Durbin just ADMITTED the democrat radical base wanted to STARVE kids & SCREW workers just to own Trump.

PATHETIC!

“Many of my friends are unhappy. They think we should have kept our government closed indefinitely to protest the policies of the Trump… pic.twitter.com/05WaADt56E

— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) November 10, 2025

While I'm grateful the GOP stood firm in neither eliminating the filibuster nor agreeing to expand ACA subsidies, I am concerned they don't have much of a coherent economic message going forward. The fact of the matter is there is an affordability crisis in this country where millennials and Gen Z are drowning in student loan debt while also not being able to afford a home of their own. You can argue all you want that Republicans aren't ultimately responsible for those traits, but the fact of the matter is they're the party in power now. They'll ultimately pay the price if by this time next year Americans are still struggling financially. 

In their election 2024 campaigns, President Joe Biden (then later POTUS candidate Kamala Harris) and Congressional Democrats gaslit the public by insisting they not believe their lying eyes when it came to the steadily rising cost of everyday goods. I do not recommend this strategy for the GOP if they want to avoid a bloodbath in the 2026 midterms. 

It's not too late to broach legislation to make life more affordable, but time is definitely short. 

-----------------------------------------------------