The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history of 43 days ended in divisive failure for Democrats who settled for meager concessions.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer embraced the shutdown in September hoping to appease the hard left “resistance” in his party and prove he was a heavyweight “fighter” against President Trump.
Instead, Schumer ended up on the canvas after the shutdown made life increasingly miserable for air travelers, food-stamp recipients and federal employees.
Schumer and other Democratic congressional leaders advocated for the idea that the more Americans suffered, the better it was for Democrats politically.
Deciding the shutdown was good politics was stupid.
Saying it out loud raised expectations that Democrats would prevail in their main demand: the extension of Covid-era ObamaCare subsidies set to expire at year’s end.
For 41 days, Republicans had 52 senators willing to reopen the government, joined by Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto, Pennsylvania’s John Fetterman, and “independent” Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with the Democrats.
But it requires 60 votes to cut off debate and bring the legislation to the floor for a vote.
On Nov 9, five additional Democratic senators agreed to vote to reopen the government—and in the eyes of the party’s dominant “resistance” wing, effectively surrendered.
Nevada’s Jacky Rosen, New Hampshire’s Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, Virginia’s Tim Kaine and Illinois’ Dick Durbin switched their positions.
Those eight agreed to reopen the federal government at current funding levels through January 30, and in exchange all they needed was a pledge from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to hold a vote on legislation to extend ObamaCare subsidies by the second week of December.
“It wasn’t working,” King said of the Democratic plan to keep the government closed until Republicans agreed to spend hundreds of billions more on ObamaCare.
He acknowledged political reality as the shutdown pains grew. Government employees weren’t being paid.
This was a predictable outcome. The history of shutdowns over the past few decades reflects they rarely achieve anything for the party that initiates them. They just impose hardships and shrink the economy.
Democrats had ample warning the shutdown was unlikely to deliver what they wanted.
In 1995-96, congressional Republicans refused to let government spending continue without budget cuts. The Democrats declined and won.
In 2013, Senator Ted Cruz led a Republican fight to stop government funding to end ObamaCare. It survived.
In 2018-19, Republicans tried to use a shutdown—the longest one up to this time—to make Congress fund a border wall. They failed.
On Oct. 27, the largest federal workers union, the American Federation of Government Employees, representing more than 800,000 members, called on Democrats to end the shutdown by passing a “clean” continuing resolution, the same position Republicans urged.
For two additional weeks, Senate Democrats viewed the household finances of federal workers as an expendable pawn in a chess game.
Nevada’s resort and tourism officials also sided with the Republicans’ position on reopening the government.
With Thanksgiving approaching, the U.S. Travel Association, representing hundreds of travel related companies, including Caesars Entertainment, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, MGM Resorts International, and the Venetian Resort echoed the Republican call for a “clean” continuing resolution.
Democrats are in disarray, with every Democrat even considering a run for the 2028 presidential nomination pandering to the never-compromise “resistance” wing.
“A disaster” complained Sen. Bernie Sanders. “Pathetic,” said California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Rep. Ro Khanna, another California Democrat with presidential ambitions, demanded Schumer’s ouster, joined by 11 other House Democrats, despite Schumer’s having voted against the deal.
The “resistance” rages that Schumer failed to hold the line against defections, while Fetterman grouses that he engineered the longest shutdown ever– for nothing.
Schumer, who turns 75 on Sunday, is the most unpopular Senate leader on record among his own party.
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