General Discussion

You stated:
"I don't think Republicans will ever pass legislation we support"

Therefore, your answer to that specific question is NO, which is my answer as well. We agree on that.

I think we can also agree the shutdown caused some economic pain, and hunger pain when SNAP benefits stopped. I think it's reasonable to conclude that prolonging the shutdown would prolong the pain -- without getting Republicans to restore the ACA subsidies.

1. Should Democrats have simply rubber-stamped the cuts to ACA subsidies at the end of September to avoid the shutdown altogether?

2. Should they have let the shutdown go on till the end of this year, despite the escalating pain and suffering of the most vulnerable?

3. Should they have proceeded with the shutdown, then ended it at some point? (which is what they did)

Of course, Republicans could have ended the shutdown at any point by agreeing to restore the ACA subsidies, but we agree they would never do that. I'm sure Democratic leadership knew that as well.

There was nothing Democrats could do to restore the ACA subsidies, as long as Republicans control both houses of Congress and answer to Donald Trump.

So the objective here -- THE OVERRIDING PRIORITY -- is to win back the House and possibly the Senate in the 2026 midterms.

Elections are won, in large part, by convincing voters. Regarding this shutdown, the strategy was to make it absolutely clear that Democrats insist on restoring the ACA subsidies, and if Republicans refuse, the skyrocking health insurance costs and the pain of losing healthcare is ENTIRELY on the Republicans.

We do not have the power to get ACA legislation passed. The Democratic Party has to do everthing it can to win the midterms in 2026.

Regarding the shutdown, we had the 3 options I noted above. I believe #3 was the correct option. Reasonable people can disagree on the options, or the duration of #3.

However, I don't think it is reasonable to criticize those 8 Senate Democrats as cowards or turncoats. I'm fairly certain our Senate leadership decided that after last week's election, the delay in SNAP benefits, and federal employees working for no pay, prolonging the Shutdown at this point had very little to gain but would unnecessarily result in more pain. I'm pretty sure the 8 Senators were selected because their seats were least vulnerable to being flipped to Republicans.

This was not cowardice or betrayal. Democratic strategists knew the anger and frustration we're all feeling would result in the kind of backlash among Democrats we are seeing around the country and here in DU.

They ended the shutdown because they believed doing so now was the correct thing to do. And I agree with them, for reasons I have repeatedly stated.