Posted on 11/08/2025 6:32:08 AM PST by DFG
The government shutdown—now entering its unprecedented fifth week—isn’t the result of Republican infighting or conservative obstruction. It’s the deliberate political hostage-taking of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and his Democrat caucus, who refuse to pass even a short-term spending bill unless it includes extending their Obamacare subsidies. But as the shutdown drags on and Americans grow restless ahead of Thanksgiving, signs are emerging that Schumer’s grip on his own party may finally be breaking.
According to multiple sources on Capitol Hill, Senate Republicans believe they’re close to securing enough Democrat votes to advance a procedural measure that would temporarily fund the government through the holidays—on President Trump’s terms, not Schumer’s. It’s a fragile coalition in the making, but the stakes couldn’t be higher. Families are watching flight cancellations pile up, federal employees are going without pay, and services have been stalled for weeks. The political pressure is mounting, and Democrats are starting to feel the heat.
At the center of the standoff is a straightforward continuing resolution pushed by the Trump administration and Congressional Republicans. It would reopen the government at current spending levels, extend funding for border security, and remove most of the bloated, left-wing earmarks Democrats have been fighting to preserve. Schumer, however, has rejected every iteration—insisting that any deal must include extending the temporary assistance Democrats popped into Obamacare in the Covid era.
In other words, Schumer has chosen to keep the government closed to protect his political priorities and endear himself to a radical leftist base that increasingly despises him. But that strategy appears to be backfiring.
Over the last 72 hours, several centrist Democrats—especially those facing tight re-election fights in 2026—have been quietly signaling openness to a procedural vote that could end the stalemate. Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio have both faced intense pressure from constituents and local media over the shutdown’s economic fallout.
Sources say moderate Democrat Joe Manchin, before leaving the Senate, warned colleagues that “Schumer’s obstruction” would hand Trump and the GOP a “massive populist win” if it continued into the holiday season.
The calculus is simple: while Schumer and the activist Left pretend to be fighting Trump, they’re actually punishing the American people. Air travel delays are now estimated to worsen dramatically as TSA staffing dwindles. National Parks have shut down entirely. Federal contractors are losing wages they’ll likely never recover. These are the kinds of tangible frustrations that voters remember—and blame the party in power for.
Republicans, for their part, have held firm even as legacy media has predictably sided with Democrats. House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune have coordinated closely with President Trump, keeping messaging focused on reopening the government responsibly—without capitulating to Democrat wish lists. Trump himself has been publicly measured but privately insistent that Republicans not “sell out the movement” by giving Schumer anything beyond temporary funding and border protection measures.
If a handful of Democrats cross the aisle, Republicans could move forward with a procedural vote to advance the stopgap bill. That wouldn’t fully end the shutdown yet, but it would represent a massive crack in Schumer’s blockade—a signal to the country that bipartisanship can return only when Democrats stop treating the government as a weapon against their opponents.
For Schumer, the political danger is growing by the day. Each passing week reinforces the perception that Democrats are willing to inflict real harm on Americans to score ideological points. If the shutdown ruins Thanksgiving travel and drags into December, even the media’s reflexive protection of the Democrat Party won’t save them from the public’s wrath.
Meanwhile, Trump has used the moment to highlight the contrast between his leadership and Schumer’s obstruction. “The American people deserve a functioning government,” he said earlier this week. “They also deserve accountability, a secure border, and an end to wasteful spending. We can do both. Chuck Schumer just doesn’t want to.”
It’s a simple truth that resonates beyond Washington’s political games: when the government shuts down, the ruling class feels nothing, but working Americans feel everything. Schumer may have thought he could win a battle of endurance against Trump, but public patience is wearing thin—and Democrats are the ones running out of oxygen.
If moderate senators finally defect, it won’t just reopen the government. It will mark a rebuke of the radical wing that’s hijacked the Democratic Party. And it will prove that even in this divided era, the American people still have the power to force their leaders to choose country over ideology.
Yesterday I modeled Obamacare for a family of four just to see the cost. For a Bronze plan with no deductible and $20k max out of pocket the cost was $419 a month. The kicker was the govt subsidy which was $2500 a month! This is assuming the family income was roughly $40k.
Schumer wants concessions - so the stratospheric rising costs of Obamacare are not exposed pre-midterms. btw continuing the wasteful Biden level of spending authorized by the CR is already TOO MUCH of a Republican Concession.
What’s not being said by using the term “American People” is that some of the hardest hit are those that live off government handouts and those that live paycheck to paycheck, which are a large part of the dem base.
The sad thing is, this shutdown actually provides a wonderful opportunity and that opportunity has largely gone to waste.
A bill to abolish the parks should have been pushed. Every "National" Park should be pushed to each state (respectively) where it resides so that this is no longer a weapon of the federal government. And above all else, the parks are unconstitutional anyways.
A bill to de-nationalize the airports should have been pushed. Why are any paychecks anywhere within the travel system dependent upon kickbacks from the government? This doesn't need a bailout and it's a mistake from the 1930s that can, should, but sadly, won't be remedied.
The TSA should be totally abolished as an institution and pushed to private. The government's incompetence has been repeatedly been proven. Why does what is ultimately simple security need to be nationalized? Abolish it.
And while not mentioned here, the government's domination over schools coming to an end was a campaign promise which has not been realized - the Department of Education - nobody from the administration still, still, has bothered to ask Congress to abolish it.
We desperately need relief from this domination of government over our lives, and there is no relief anywhere in sight. At best all we have seen are reductions. True, the reductions have been real and tangible but they are all ultimately temporary. We all know this. The sober know, the next administration is going to inflate these agencies all back up as if there never was a Trump presidency to begin with.
Something, somewhere, anywhere, needs to be formally abolished. The tally right now is a big fat zero.
There hasn’t been a budget in many years, just continuing resolutions to print more money everytime the debt ceiling approaches. $40 Trillion debt right around the corner.
And that doesn’t include the many trillions in unfunded liabilities for Medicare and Social Security.
“a family of four”
I assume the adults were modeled as being in their 40s.
Most people are still healthy in their 40s.
Chamber of Commerce Hospital Service Resale Site
Capital Fund contributors shall have a right to buy hospital services to be provided at Big City Memorial Hospital at 1.25 times the Medicare rate up to their contract amount.
Capital Fund contributors shall have a right to buy hospital services to be provided at Sibley Hospital at 1.20 times the Medicare rate up to their contract amount.
We were able to purchase the future services and access rights to future services at about 8% less.
The contract amount typically remains your Capital Fund contribution [minimum $10,000] plus the security amount lien placed on your real property.
This is not insurance, only partial prepayment with price limitations.
Meh...heard it before.
HOSPITAL COST REDUCTION [by 2028]
Break most hospitals into two highly competitive entities. Convert other hospitals into real estate leasing entities with competing surgical suites and nursing wings.
SEPARATE OUT DRUG COVERAGE
Without having to manage drug coverage, hospital systems can run care coverage systems and cut out most insurance company overhead and meddling. The co-pays and co-insurance would generally be equal to the hospital system’s marginal cost so there would be little reason to say no to a doctor’s request except for medical (or moral) cause.
✅ Unipartyism. The Exempt Ones, at it again, .. and again. ✖️
Schumer knows how to herd ‘Rats.
My daughter graduated from college in May so before i out her on my plan ($4000 annually) i looked into getting her a plan with obummer care...the Premium?? $2000- a month!!!
Democrats getting a bit worried over the idea of the Republicans doing away with the filibuster. They want to defuse that, so they can do it once they get into the majority. Stupid Republicans.
The real question is do the Republicans Crush the Democrats........or do we allow them something to “save face” with.
I am split. Part of me wants this long, government shut down to be a transformative event that helps promote two things. The first is a more bipartisan Congressional process. The second is an end to continuing resolutions and the House creating a “real and proper” fiscal year budget and sending it to the Senate for debate. The Senate passing a Budget, any Resolution Committee modifications before passage by both and then sending to the President for signature.
I know that right now both political parties are too divided, but that the Democratic Party is actively trying to harm this country.
He also wants medicare for illegals.....none of which ever paid into the fund.
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