After 43 days, the longest US government shutdown in history is coming to an end. Federal workers will start receiving pay again. National Parks will reopen. Government services that had been curtailed or suspended entirely will resume. Air travel, which had become a nightmare for many Americans, will return to being merely frustrating.
Once the dust settles and the ink from President Donald Trump's signature on the funding bill dries, questioning arises about what this record-setting shutdown has accomplished and what it has cost. Senate Democrats utilized the parliamentary filibuster to trigger the shutdown, demanding that the Republicans agree to extend health insurance subsidies for low-income Americans set to expire at the end of the year.
When a handful of Democrats broke ranks to vote to reopen the government, they received almost no concession in return—a mere promise of a vote in the Senate on the subsidies but without any guarantees of support from Republicans or even a vote in the House of Representatives.
Members of the party’s left flank expressed outrage. They accused Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of complicity in the reopening plan and viewed the shutdown's sacrifices as ultimately fruitless.
California's Governor Gavin Newsom described the deal as “pathetic,” emphasizing that the party should amend its strategies to address Trump’s unconventional political maneuvers. If criticism rises from within the party, it raises alarms for Democratic leaders heading into future election cycles.
Ultimately, while Congress returns to regular proceedings, and parts of the government remain funded until September, spending for the entirety needs approval by January to avoid another shutdown. The unresolved issue of healthcare subsidies poses risks, as Americans brace for potential spikes in insurance costs at year's end.
The day originally planned to focus on government funding was overshadowed by the latest developments surrounding Jeffrey Epstein, prompting further complications in the political landscape. Trump capitalized on this chaos, framing his party’s shutdown victory amidst Democrat turmoil.
