For forty long days, American families watched as Washington’s dysfunction reached historic proportions. Veterans wondered about their benefits, federal workers faced uncertainty, and millions of citizens saw their government grind to a halt—all while Democratic leadership dug in their heels over partisan demands that had little chance of success.
The whole mess looked ready to stretch into Thanksgiving—classic D.C. dysfunction at its finest. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer kept insisting his Obamacare subsidy demands were non-negotiable, even as the pressure mounted from all sides. But sometimes, even in Washington, reality has a way of breaking through political theater.
From ‘Fox News’:
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is glad the Senate finally managed to break through its weeks-long standoff on the government shutdown, he told Fox News Digital on Monday morning.
“It’s a great development. It’s long overdue. It vindicates our position in this all along,” the House leader said.
He added that he would have “a lot more to say at a press conference this morning.”
Asked how soon the House would return to session, Johnson said, “Immediately.”
“We’re going to get everybody back on a 36-hour notice, so it’ll be happening early this week,” Johnson said.
Here’s where it gets good. The breakthrough came Sunday night when eight Senate Democrats made the politically painful decision to abandon Schumer’s sinking ship. Senators, including Dick Durbin—the party’s number two leader, mind you—joined Republicans in advancing a deal to reopen the government. They were effectively admitting that their 40-day strategy had been a costly failure. Among the defectors were Sens. Angus King of Maine, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, all of whom had apparently reached their limit of using the American people as bargaining chips.
What did the left achieve after holding the government hostage for nearly six weeks? Nothing. They secured no guarantee on their precious Obamacare subsidies, just a promise of a vote that everyone knows is doomed to fail. Sure, they managed to reverse some federal layoffs and guarantee back pay for furloughed workers, but these minor victories pale in comparison to their stated goals. (Remember when Democrats claimed to be the party of working people?)
A Victory for Common Sense
Speaker Johnson’s response was swift and decisive. Within hours of the Senate breakthrough, he announced the House would return on a 36-hour notice to finalize the deal. No hand-wringing, no drama—just action. His calm leadership throughout the crisis stood in stark contrast to the chaos on the progressive side, where party unity crumbled under the weight of their own unrealistic demands.
The irony here is delicious: the final deal closely mirrors what Senate Republicans had been offering for weeks. Every single day of this debacle beyond the first week was essentially Democratic political theater, performed at the expense of the American people. Johnson had every right to feel vindicated—his strategy of standing firm while letting progressive overreach expose itself had worked like a charm.
The Progressive Meltdown
Perhaps nothing illustrated the left’s disarray better than Bernie Sanders’ unhinged response to his colleagues’ defection. The Vermont socialist—and yes, he still calls himself that with a straight face—called it a “horrific mistake” and wildly claimed that ending the shutdown would somehow give President Trump a “green light to go forward toward authoritarianism.” When you’ve lost the argument so badly that you’re comparing a routine funding bill to the rise of fascism, maybe it’s time to touch grass.
Even Schumer seemed to recognize the game was up, though he tried desperately to save face by claiming Republicans “showed that they are against any healthcare reform.” The charge fell flat—it was Schumer’s own colleagues who had abandoned him, not some Republican conspiracy.
The fractures within the Democratic Party ran deeper than the Grand Canyon. Progressives were furious at what they saw as a capitulation, while moderates were exhausted by a strategy that was clearly going nowhere fast. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries announced his opposition to the deal, setting up potential drama when the legislation reaches the lower chamber. Good luck with that, Hakeem.
Key Takeaways
- Eight Senate Democrats defected from leadership, ending the 40-day shutdown with nothing to show
- Mike Johnson’s steady leadership vindicated as final deal mirrors Republican proposals from weeks ago
- American workers suffered unnecessarily while Democrats played political games
