A Few Words on the Shutdown
Explaining why this shutdown is not a normal shutdown. Has there ever been a normal shutdown as caused by Congress?
Why this is not a normal government shutdown, Robert Reich
The United States government has shut down. But in reality, it has been shut down ever since Trump took office the second time. For over eight months, he has been funding programs he likes and defunding programs he doesn’t like. That’s effectively a shutdown. With the government now officially shut down, we’re simply seeing what Trump has already been doing. Now is an opportunity, finally, for Democrats to fight back.
Meanwhile . . .
“DOGE cuts to federal government staffing and spending are being undone,” NPR
Agencies ordered to drastically slash their workforces over the last eight months are now hiring back hundreds of workers, as they struggle to perform basic operations or carry out some of President Trump’s top policy priorities.
Despite DOGE’s promise that canceling contracts and terminating leases would help reverse the trend of the government spending more money than it brings in, the most recent Treasury data shows an increase in expenditures by hundreds of billions of dollars more than the year before. The bulk of that spending goes to debt service, national defense and entitlement programs like Social Security and Medicare.
and then there is the Office of Management and Budget reported by Politico– Russ Vought.
Russ is “threatening mass layoffs of federal workers if Democrats don’t capitulate to President Donald Trump and fellow Republicans.
For those who know the White House budget director’s long history in Washington, it was only a matter of time.”
Didn’t we just go through government work force reduction as brought to us by Elon Musk and his Gang. Another fire and rehire coming up. This may be an advantage point for Dems if they can cast Vought as the villain he has been and appears to be now. No doubt the shutdown is serious as is Tr_mp’s plans for Medicaid, Medicare, etc.
The threatened firings and program cuts were happening anyway. The only difference is that Trump will try to blame them on Senate Democrats. It’s not working. Nate Silver reports that Trump’s disapproval are near an all-time low for his 2nd term, and the effects of the shutdown are only just now being felt. Every day this continues weighs on Congressional Republicans in the midterms.
Joel:
When more people get hurt, then there will be a revolution amongst voters who did not vote because of Kamal being the candidate and those who chose Kennedy to be the Pres. as well as others. The damage is done and is on going.
With a new president and a supporting Congress, it will be 4 years of restoring what Tr_mp and Republicans have removed or destroyed.
Democrats have said the Healthcare system will take a huge blow & premiums will rise 2-3 times in the next few months. They have said tariffs will bring higher prices and ruin your Christmas. But we really haven’t seen it yet. Now we’re getting more military and lookalikes into more of our cities, increasingly racist actions against black and brown people, stepped-up revenge prosecutions, withholding funds from Democratic states & cities, massive government firings, embarrassment on the international stage, the Epstein coverup, national security risks, and more; plus, a POTUS that reeks of incompetence and mental instability. All of this within about nine months. The country cannot withstand 3 more years of this.
Over the next several months, it seems the day-to-day collapse of the Trump Presidency and the fruition of their radical, illegal, unconstitutional actions seems headed for implosion. Despite Democratic warnings, it seems the Republican public may need to be convinced of how bad things can get, and more importantly, maybe those same people can force their Republican members of Congress to wake up and stop the madness. Nothing will change until that happens.
@JP,
” . . . force their Republican members of Congress to wake up and stop the madness.”
LOL! Republican members of Congress *are* the madness.
True, but Nothing will change until that happens.
J.P.
Do you see such an awaking amongst the citizens who are Republicans? Are they besieging their representatives or senators yet? Approval Rating
It appears many voters disapprove of Tr_mp. His reign this presidency is similar to his 2017 reign. History will look unkindly at Tr_mp and moreso with American voters who did not learn the first time and voted him in a second time over superior candidates in 2017 and 2024. The nation will have much rebuilding to do after his destruction of American norms.
Bill,
Some & slightly, but my point is wait until they see their ACA insurance rates rise and the cost of tariffs. The snowball is getting bigger and rolling faster. . .
Average out-of-pocket premium payments for those receiving subsidies could more than double, rising from $888 a year to $1,904 in 2026, according to a KFF analysis.
Families with incomes above 400% of the federal poverty level would lose their subsidies entirely. A 60-year-old couple earning $85,000, for example, could see their yearly premium payments jump by over $22,600
Many constituents in Republican-leaning states rely heavily on the subsidies for their coverage.
Health care providers could face billions of dollars in lost revenue and see a rise in uncompensated care costs. These economic ripple effects would extend beyond the health sector, affecting other businesses and contributing to job losses.
A Deloitte report from September 2025 forecasts that core personal consumption expenditures could rise to 3.3% in 2026, driven in part by tariffs. Forecasts predict a rise in the unemployment rate by early 2026. Negative job growth is expected, particularly as high tariffs and elevated interest rates restrain demand for labor.
China, a major buyer of U.S. soybeans, has imposed a 20% retaliatory tax, causing U.S. soybean exports to China to drop dramatically.
A Marquette Law School poll recorded his approval among Republicans at 81% in October, down from 89% earlier in the year. A Quinnipiac University poll from late September noted that 10% of Republicans disapproved of his job performance, the first time that figure had reached double digits in their polling.
The website Republican Voters Against Trump also compiles testimonials from voters critical of his conduct and policies.
NORC poll found that the share of Republicans who believe the country is headed in the wrong direction had jumped from 29% in June to 51%. This dissatisfaction was even more pronounced among younger Republicans, with 61% of those under 45 expressing that view.
Multiple polls in October 2025 show that Americans, including some Republicans and a significant number of independents, place more blame on Trump and congressional Republicans for the government shutdown.
The president is the executive branch of government; meaning he executes the laws passed by Congress. This includes spending appropriations. But this president has decided to only appropriate the spending on his agenda. Obviously a violation of the Constitution. But this congress is powerless to do anything about it because it takes 2/3 of the Senate which will never happen (something trump learned in his first term). I won’t even mention the Supreme Court getting involved for obvious reasons. The Democrats may take control of both houses at the midterms but not the 2/3’s required to do anything about trump. Bill, I share your optimism about fixing this country with a new president, but I am not so optimistic about the country surviving the next 3 years.
Mark:
If there was something else to be had that could display our regards, I would be there. It is similar to when I was talking to the NP at the VA for my yearly checkup. She knew I was battling with the VA as I suffer from drinking the water and showering it at Camp Lejeunne for roughly 2+ years. When your platelets disappear and you spend weeks in a hospital being stabbed twice a day, it is not fun.
This NP was a crusty one and not to be messed with at all. I asked for her advice. She said to “persist.” If we stop, then we have lost for sure. The NP is correct.