Democrats' 43-Day Government Shutdown Was a Mixed Bag
The record-breaking 43-day government shutdown, which ended with a deal between Democrats and Republicans, was met with mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle. For some Democrats, the shutdown was seen as a monumental "cave" to an authoritarian in President Donald Trump.
However, others within the party saw the six-week standoff as a silver lining. The eight Senate Democrats who negotiated an end to the longest shutdown in American history said that the bipartisan deal protects federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown – at least temporarily.
"This was a terrible, terrible vote," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who voted against the funding bill. "Look, I think it was a bad day for Democrats."
Despite the disappointment, some Democrats are seeing the bright side of the deal. The agreement includes funding for some parts of the government through next fall and extends food assistance payments to states until September 2026.
But the real test is yet to come: the 2026 midterm election. Democrats believe that the health care crisis will be a major issue in the next election, and they're determined to highlight it as a key issue.
"We crystallized the fight about health care for the American people," said retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who authored a one-year extension of subsidies.
The GOP's attempt to repeal Obamacare during Trump's first term was seen as a major factor in House Democrats' gain of the majority in the 2018 midterms. Democrats believe it's a good issue for their party, and one that will again help them take back control of the House next year.
As for Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Calif.), who is head of the House Democrats' campaign arm, she urged her colleagues to stay disciplined in communicating the need to extend health care subsidies on the insurance marketplace.
The real question now is: will Republicans be able to come together and address the rising costs of health care? The answer remains to be seen.
The record-breaking 43-day government shutdown, which ended with a deal between Democrats and Republicans, was met with mixed reactions from both sides of the aisle. For some Democrats, the shutdown was seen as a monumental "cave" to an authoritarian in President Donald Trump.
However, others within the party saw the six-week standoff as a silver lining. The eight Senate Democrats who negotiated an end to the longest shutdown in American history said that the bipartisan deal protects federal workers who were laid off during the shutdown – at least temporarily.
"This was a terrible, terrible vote," said Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), who voted against the funding bill. "Look, I think it was a bad day for Democrats."
Despite the disappointment, some Democrats are seeing the bright side of the deal. The agreement includes funding for some parts of the government through next fall and extends food assistance payments to states until September 2026.
But the real test is yet to come: the 2026 midterm election. Democrats believe that the health care crisis will be a major issue in the next election, and they're determined to highlight it as a key issue.
"We crystallized the fight about health care for the American people," said retiring Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who authored a one-year extension of subsidies.
The GOP's attempt to repeal Obamacare during Trump's first term was seen as a major factor in House Democrats' gain of the majority in the 2018 midterms. Democrats believe it's a good issue for their party, and one that will again help them take back control of the House next year.
As for Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Calif.), who is head of the House Democrats' campaign arm, she urged her colleagues to stay disciplined in communicating the need to extend health care subsidies on the insurance marketplace.
The real question now is: will Republicans be able to come together and address the rising costs of health care? The answer remains to be seen.
... I mean, 43 days without a paycheck for some workers? That's just terrible 
. But at the same time, it looks like they got something done 
. Protecting those subsidies is a big deal for Democrats, especially since healthcare costs are always going up, up, up 
.
. The midterms are coming and if they can keep pushing that healthcare issue, they might just have some sway with voters 
. And I gotta say, Sen. Shaheen made a great point about making that fight for the American people 
.
. Are they gonna come together and tackle healthcare costs? Or are we just stuck in limbo again 
?
On the bright side, I guess some good things came out of it... like extended food assistance and stuff. But honestly, healthcare should be a non-negotiable 
. I don't think people want to hear about politicians playing politics with their lives. It's like, get it together, guys! 
The midterm election is gonna be lit 
, though. Democrats are all hyped about the healthcare crisis being a major issue. Fingers crossed they can make some real changes happen 
. And on the GOP side, I'm curious to see if they'll actually listen to people and address those rising healthcare costs or just continue playing politics as usual 
.
. like dems were fighting so hard for ppl's lives but r reps just not listening 
. but at the same time i can see why some of them might think its a silver lining that they got to extend food assistance payments 
. and now with the midterms coming up, i'm wondering if this whole health care thing is gonna be a major issue for dems... can't wait to see how it all plays out! 
. And let's be real, this whole thing could've been avoided if we'd just gotten a deal sooner... 
. But at the same time, can they actually make good on their promises and come up with some real solutions? 
. On the bright side, it does help with food assistance and some government funding 
. Anyways, I'm all for that temporary fix that extended food assistance payments - let's keep those hungry families fed 
! But gotta say, the Democrats' argument about health care being a major issue is on point 
. Like, it's crazy to think that some people still can't get affordable healthcare 
. Now we just gotta see if Republicans are gonna step up and address the rising costs 
it's all about finding that middle ground and making the best of a bad situation... but sometimes, in my opinion, that just means settling for mediocrity... the question now is, are we just accepting things as they are because we don't know any better?
, but I gotta say... I think the whole thing was a bit confusing for me, you know? Like, one minute Democrats are trying to stop Trump's plans, and the next they're basically working with him 
. What do you guys think is gonna happen in the midterms? Should health care be a big deal?
shouldn't we be focusing on helping ppl get affordable healthcare now rather than waiting till election season 
my aunt has been saying that the GOP's attempt to repeal Obamacare was a huge mistake 
but at the same time I feel like some democrats are being super harsh on each other too 
. I mean, some folks were like "woohoo, we won!" while others were all like "ugh, no thanks 
.
. I gotta say, I'm intrigued to see how this all plays out 
.
, but for me, it's more like "well, what could've been?" 
. Still, at least we got a deal that'll keep some folks employed and fed 
. Now let's just hope Republicans can come together and tackle that healthcare costs thing 
We're talkin' 8 Senate Dems who voted against the funding bill, includin' @SenWarren 
. And what about the health care crisis? That's still a major issue & will be in the next midterm election 
. And Rep @SuzanDelBene is killin' it w/ her campaign arm 
. but for now, lets just say dems dodged a bullet and can focus on the next election 
