# Why are Democrats being blamed for the shutdown? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 8, 2025, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788 "2025-10-08T17:11:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/241 "2025-11-07T16:54:47Z")
I created another thread in P&E where I wanted to discuss this in detail. I think **Pleonast** has it right, but I’d add a subtle detail. The only thing the founders did is say the Senate makes their own rules. Those rules/norms have included some form of filibuster. In the olden days, it only took one person to filibuster. But the filibuster would only last as long as they were speaking. Later, by their own rules, the Senate invented the mechanism of voting on cloture to end a filibuster. Late: Pleonast posted just before me. I think we are saying the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![abcdefghij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/43a26b/32.png) [@abcdefghij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/abcdefghij)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/242 "2025-11-07T17:05:56Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Simple majority rule is what the Founders created within each house of Congress. Per [senate.gov](https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/filibusters-cloture/overview.htm): > The tactic of using long speeches to delay action on legislation appeared in the very first session of the Senate. On September 22, 1789, Pennsylvania Senator William Maclay wrote in his diary that the “design of the Virginians . . . was to talk away the time, so that we could not get the bill passed.” Cloture was introduced to the US Senate in 1917. Prior to that, there was no way to end debate. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/243 "2025-11-07T20:59:49Z")
> **[Democratic leader offers deal to reopen government but Republicans sneer](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/11/07/government-shutdown-democrats-schumer-trump-aca.html)** > > The U.S. government shutdown has dragged on for 38 days because of a dispute over whether ACA tax credits should be included in a stop-gap funding bill. See, a reasonable compromise was offered, and “sneered” at- But Republicans quickly dismissed Schumer’s proposal, which hinges on protecting enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies for at least one year. _Schumer’s proposal calls for Democrats to agree to pass a so-called clean resolution that would provide short-term funding for government operations._ _In exchange, the New York lawmaker said, Republicans would agree to a separate one-year extension of existing enhanced tax credits that are used to reduce the cost of health insurance purchased on [ACA](https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/31/aca-open-enrollment-starts-enhanced-subsidies.html) marketplaces._ ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2025, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/244 "2025-11-07T21:15:17Z")
For some reason I can’t find any news reporting on it, but here in WA food stamps started paying out in full last night. My mother got the full amount she usually gets and our customers at work are definitely spending them. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/245 "2025-11-08T00:25:27Z")
Re only how to negotiate and not the merits. Democrats shouldn’t bid against themselves. You can’t go from demanding permanent subsidies to just one-year without getting anything in return for making that change. It’s a weak way to negotiate. So now it’s “negotiating” no extension versus one year. You can sense this just isn’t going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/246 "2025-11-08T00:32:02Z")
It’s a tale as old as time in Congress. The two parties are at an impasse until someone eventually suggests “let’s keep everything the way it is until X months from now and we’ll figure it out then”. Then both parties spend the next X-1 months not figuring it out and we find ourselves back at square one. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/247 "2025-11-08T01:19:26Z")
> [@CoolHandCox](#): > > So now it’s “negotiating” no extension versus one year. No, the MAGAs arent doing any negotiating. ---
**Author:** ![CoolHandCox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/coolhandcox/32/16233_2.png) [@CoolHandCox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CoolHandCox)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2025, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/248 "2025-11-08T21:08:55Z")
This will end soon. The one-year offer was pure posturing for the midterms. I previously thought the minimum Ds should get out of this is a separate vote on the subsidies bill. Not great but not nothing. Hopefully that’s enough to do well in the midterms. It’s shameful nothing happened because there are Republicans who would vote to pass subsidies. I’d guess they pass a clean funding bill soon and later get to vote on the subsidies. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/249 "2025-11-09T01:49:02Z")
Chuck Schumer continues to have the political acumen of a damp sponge. At Thursday’s party caucus, he announced that he had found enough votes to reopen the government in exchange for (checks notes) zero Republican concessions of any kind. > **[Why Does Schumer Keep Trying to Cave? - The American Prospect](https://prospect.org/2025/11/08/why-does-schumer-keep-trying-to-cave-government-shutdown/)** > > Most commentators, including me, concluded that the Tuesday election victory saved Democrats from capitulating to Republican demands to pass a simple continuing resolution to re-open the government, in exchange for vague assurances of a vote on... The response from the other Democrats was so negative that the moderates who came up with the plan backed down. I hope to God AOC primaries his ass and we kick him and the rest of this do-nothing gerontocracy to the curb. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/250 "2025-11-09T02:21:17Z")
… and yet they are shocked, shocked, I tell you, that this pissed people off. > [@Smapti](#): > > I hope to God AOC primaries his ass OTOH what has the woman done to us to deserve being sentenced to the Senate… ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/251 "2025-11-09T02:40:17Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Chuck Schumer continues to have the political acumen of a damp sponge. I’m still waiting to hear him announce what he accomplished by caving on the budget bill… Absolutely horrible. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/252 "2025-11-09T03:02:18Z")
> [@Smapti](#): > > Chuck Schumer continues to have the political acumen of a damp sponge. At Thursday’s party caucus, he announced that he had found enough votes to reopen the government in exchange for (checks notes) zero Republican concessions of any kind. That seems pure speculation. No sources were cited, all op/ed. > [@Dinsdale](#): > > I’m still waiting to hear him announce what he accomplished by caving on the budget bill… He hasnt caved. He offered a compromise, which the MAGAs rejected. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/253 "2025-11-09T04:03:24Z")
How long can it go on without lasting damage to the country? ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/254 "2025-11-09T04:09:58Z")
The Republican plan appears to be to _deliberately_ cause lasting damage to the country in order to get what they want. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 6:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/255 "2025-11-09T06:57:08Z")
There’s a theory I’ve seen on the Legal AF YouTube channel that posits that Mike Johnson is willing to keep the government shut down until the [special election in Tennessee](https://www.tennessean.com/story/news/politics/2025/11/08/democrats-republicans-tennessee-election-7th-district/87146431007/) is over and certified. The reason, this theory goes, is that the incoming red seat will cancel out Grijalva’s vote to release the Epstein files. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/256 "2025-11-09T07:55:46Z")
There are apparently reports going around from DOJ that the Epstein files make Trump look much MUCH worse than previously reported (and “previously reported” includes Michael Wolff saying there are photos of Trump receiving topless lapdances from underage girls) and that rumors are circulating amongst the House Republican caucus. I wouldn’t be surprised if it winds up not mattering and when he finally reconvenes the House there end up being more than enough votes anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/257 "2025-11-09T13:08:21Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > He hasnt caved. He offered a compromise, which the MAGAs rejected. I understand that is what happened NOW. But PREVIOUSLY, he voted with the Repubs. If the Dems had taken a stance THEN, we wouldn’t be in this place now. (At least, not in this exact place.) ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/258 "2025-11-09T14:04:25Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > The reason, this theory goes, is that the incoming red seat will cancel out Grijalva’s vote to release the Epstein files. Grijalva’s would be the 218th signature on a discharge petition to bring the matter to a vote. Presumable the same 218 would vote yeah on the matter, which is a majority. The Tennessee seat in question is currently vacant, so it wouldn’t represent a flip. As such, that vote doesn’t matter. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/259 "2025-11-09T17:31:42Z")
Dina Doll and the [Meidas Touch YouTube channel](https://youtu.be/dW3VTsbqChU?si=JhYeCEQMhZnDQ5vI) explain it better than I can in this 13 minute video. But, in essence, it this special election is certified and that representative is sworn in before Grijalva is, then she would no longer be the tie-breaker, and couldn’t force a vote on the discharge petition. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2025, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788/260 "2025-11-09T18:42:48Z")
I don’t know what kind of math they’re using, and I’m not going to spend time watching a video to figure it out. There are currently 217 signatures on the discharge petition (link to petition). It takes 218 for a discharge petition to take effect. There’s no such thing as a negative signature. Grijalva will bring it to 218 no matter who is elected in Tennessee. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-democrats-being-blamed-for-the-shutdown/1023788.md?page=14)