# Republicans and Dems let the gov't shut down on 09/30/25, then what? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [September 18, 2025, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157 "2025-09-18T17:18:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/1 "2025-09-18T17:18:01Z")
The idea has been floated that the Dems don’t play ball on the budget bill to deliberately let the government shut down. The thinking is that if Repubs don’t have a budget, they don’t have the funds to keep going down the fascist road… or something like that. Would a complete gov’t shutdown be a reset to sanity or would it be the end of life as we know it? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/2 "2025-09-18T17:50:42Z")
It would be such bad optics after all of the times the Dems talked about the Pubs shutting down the government would be the worst thing that has ever happened. And if the Dems want to talk about how it is necessary to stop fascism and Trump wiping his ass with the Constitution, etc. it will only come across as, “Oh! So _your_ issues are important enough to shut down the government but ours weren’t?” Maybe if the Dems hired some competent spin doctors then they wouldn’t look like complete hypocrites if they do it. ---
**Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/3 "2025-09-18T17:53:32Z")
Republicans don’t need Democrats to pass the budget barring a Senate filibuster. Why exactly are Democrats, yet again, being blamed for not bailing out Republicans? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/4 "2025-09-18T18:01:49Z")
The government will not “shut down”. Trump and the Republicans will merely state that the Democrats “traitorously abandoned their posts” and continue on without them. Democrats that participate in the attempted shutdown will be subject to “arrest”. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/5 "2025-09-18T18:26:07Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Republicans don’t need Democrats to pass the budget barring a Senate filibuster. Why exactly are Democrats, yet again, being blamed for not bailing out Republicans? This. And if Republicans do need Democrats, they should at least demand some kind of assurance that the budget law will be followed. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/6 "2025-09-18T18:45:33Z")
> [@Chisquirrel](#): > > Why exactly are Democrats, yet again, being blamed for not bailing out Republicans? because everybody blames the Dems no matter what? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/7 "2025-09-18T18:45:47Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > This. And if Republicans do need Democrats, they should at least demand some kind of assurance that the budget law will be followed. Just remember what happened to McCarthy when he tried to compromise with the Dems on the budget because Mike Johnson does. ---
**Author:** ![DeadTreasSecretaries](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deadtreassecretaries/32/4817_2.png) [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/8 "2025-09-18T18:59:50Z")
Care to remind anyone here who might not remember what you’re talking about? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/9 "2025-09-18T19:04:29Z")
The Blaming Of The Democrats is actually built in and happens simultaneously with the nastiness. Action is stronger and lasts longer than reaction for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/10 "2025-09-18T19:05:22Z")
And how do you remember this event? ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/11 "2025-09-18T19:56:05Z")
Dems shouldn’t worry about being blamed. They’re going to be blamed no matter what they do anyway. The repugs have majorities in the House and the Senate. Let them pass their own fucking budgets. If they can. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/12 "2025-09-18T20:04:27Z")
> [@DeadTreasSecretaries](#): > > Care to remind anyone here who might not remember what you’re talking about? McCarthy was thrown out as Speaker of the House by the Freedumb Caucus for compromising on the budget with the Dems. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/13 "2025-09-18T20:07:27Z")
Thank you for the clarification/expansion. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/14 "2025-09-18T20:09:03Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > because everybody blames the Dems no matter what? Including Democrats blaming other Democrats. This is why we can’t have nice things. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2025, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/15 "2025-09-18T20:50:26Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Including Democrats blaming other Democrats. [![](https://intellectualtakeout.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/d17948d9aac640eda4905c9a57b30d091.jpg) ](https://intellectualtakeout.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/d17948d9aac640eda4905c9a57b30d091.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2025, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/16 "2025-09-19T00:17:42Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > McCarthy was thrown out as Speaker of the House by the Freedumb Caucus for compromising on the budget with the Dems. Thanks for explaining. For some reason my mind went to Tailgunner Joe McCarthy and I was confused. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2025, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/17 "2025-09-20T05:16:41Z")
I remember in March when Chuck Schumer said he was going to filibuster the republican budget bill. I thought sarcastically ‘I bet Schumer caves in a day’. I meant that sarcastically, but thats exactly what happened. Schumer caved and gave up in literally one day. The GOP needs 60 votes in the senate to pass this bill. I’m 99% sure Schumer will give up in a day just like he did last time. The GOP know the democrats will always allow the hostage takers to get their demands met, because the democrats don’t want harm to come to the hostages. The GOP on the other hand couldn’t care less about the hostages, because the know the hostages that matter to them (their voters) are brainwashed and will believe whatever lie they are told about how everything is the democrats fault. Hopefully all the primary threats against Schumer have given him something of a spine, but I’m not holding my breath. > **[Democrats stake out opposition to spending bill, raising threat of a shutdown](https://federalnewsnetwork.com/government-shutdown/2025/09/republicans-unveil-a-bill-to-fund-the-government-through-nov-21-democrats-call-it-partisan/)** > > They warned Republicans they will not support a measure that doesn’t address concerns on the soaring cost of health insurance for millions of Americans. > Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries have been asking their Republican counterparts for weeks for a meeting to negotiate on the bill, but they say that Republicans have refused. Any bill needs help from at least seven Democrats in the Senate to overcome procedural hurdles and advance to a final vote. From the sounds of it, the GOP already know the democrats will give up without a fight and haven’t even tried to negotiate with them. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2025, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/18 "2025-09-21T18:12:20Z")
Looks like Schumer is already planning to capitulate. He needs to be primaried in 2028. > **[The Tennessee Holler on Instagram: "SCHUMER: “I hope and pray Trump will sit...](https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO3lX7DkUwZ/)** > > 827 likes, 214 comments - thetnholler on September 21, 2025: "SCHUMER: “I hope and pray Trump will sit down with us.” > > BASH: “And if he doesn’t Dems will vote no?” > > @senschumer : \*suddenly seems to lose his hearing\* > > He “hopes and prays”, y’all.... ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/19 "2025-09-21T18:42:56Z")
But getting back to the OP. Assuming the Dems do decide to filibuster the budget and shut the government down in an effort to be seen as “doing something” what happens next? What are their demands? What do they do if the Republicans declar ICE an essential agency but otherwise let it all crumble. Even if they do get concessions from the Republicans do they really believe that they are going to keep their promises? ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 30, 2025, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157/20 "2025-09-30T14:02:00Z")
We’re getting close peeps. Here is my issue (as stated before). The Dems have continually called out Republicans for wanting to shut down the government in order to have a real discussion on the debt ceiling that everyone ignores. In those discussion, Dems point out that shutting down the federal government is the worst solution and the most horrible thing that could occur. So if the Democrats actually do shut down the government due to their political stance Doesn’t that make them hypocrites? Don’t they lose the moral high ground the next time the Republicans want to shut down the government the next time they want to take on a political stance? Won’t this divide the country even more as it comes across as, “It’s different for us. When **you** want to shut down the government your reasons are invalid and you are worse than Hitler. But when **we** want to do it, we are totally in the right and we are saving our country.”? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/republicans-and-dems-let-the-govt-shut-down-on-09-30-25-then-what/1023157.md?page=2)