Government shutdown again?

[Elixir]

Am I the only one who thinks most Americans just want the shutdown to end and don't care for any super duper strategic 4d chess moves during the shutdown, because they're just living paycheck to paycheck? This goes for the democrats trying to keep the shutdown going too. I also don't think it's necessarily that good to have a shutdown while we have this fascism thing going on.

US Democrats are people who think Lucy won't yank the football this time.

I just don't see how it's very effective even if you're going to argue for making super duper 4d chess moves.

The only chess move here, is pushing the pain further and further back, and closer and closer to November 3, 2026.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Am I the only one who thinks most Americans just want the shutdown to end and don't care for any super duper strategic 4d chess moves during the shutdown, because they're just living paycheck to paycheck? This goes for the democrats trying to keep the shutdown going too. I also don't think it's necessarily that good to have a shutdown while we have this fascism thing going on.

US Democrats are people who think Lucy won't yank the football this time.

This isn't "US Democrats", this is a few US Senator Democrats. This "deal" is absolute bullshit. The Democrats weren't making much headway, but they have the moral high ground. Giving in here gains nothing for the nation or the party. Unless there is something else not being reported, this sucks. Of course, one needs to remember this is about a continuing resolution. Not the actual budget... which still needs to pass.

You're not wrong, but you are smart enough to know fuckwits are going to now call this a "Democrat Shutdown". And you are equally aware lying dishonest cunts in the media will label it as such. As a foereigner I am confused as to what the fucking goals the Democratic leadership have.

The Democrat leadership wasn't part of this odd and fruitless agreement. I have no idea if those Dems are expecting to be rewarded with the budget process.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

Did someone spike the moderate Democrat punch?

Senate Republicans secured a provision in the bipartisan, shutdown-ending government funding package that could award senators hundreds of thousands of dollars for having their phone records collected without their knowledge as part of a Biden-era investigation.

WTF?!?! This agreement sounds like a GOP wish list, not remotely a compromise. Though it sounds like this might have been snuck in.

 

[jonatha]

Something that seems underappreciated by everyone on the left bitching about Chuck Schumer and the eight traitors is that the "surrender bill" expires in January while funding SNAP until the end of the fiscal year next September.

In other words, the Dems get another shot at this after Christmas but won't have to worry about the main hostages.

(At least that's my understanding.)

 

[Derec]

Since I retired and before I am 65 years old, my wife and I have been buying ACA for about $26K a year for insurance for just the two of us. That will go $54K a year. I'm fortunate that I can get on Medicare in May and my wife June next year.

Why do you think it's that high for you? Even without qualifying for any premium subsidies, it should not be nowhere this high.
And since at $27k you certainly are not getting any subsidies, you will not be affected by COVID era enhanced subsidies expiring.

But how many people can afford $54K a year just on insurance? Many people don't make that much in total!!!

Those people will still get subsidies, but not as much as hitherto.

And it's such a scam. I would be fine paying full for Dr visits and most meds. It's cheep compared to $26K a year! What I would want is insurance that would cover catastrophic issues like car crashes and serious illnesses requiring hospitalizations and meds over some ridiculousness threshold. I don't need insurance to pay for a $20 prescription. I swear that if we didn't have insurance we'd have saved $20,000. It's the catastrophic events we care about.

In the ACA marketplaces you can shop for different plans at different price points that offer different copays, deductibles etc. Don't tell me that the $27k plan was the cheapest one you could find.

 

[Derec]

You're not wrong, but you are smart enough to know fuckwits are going to now call this a "Democrat Shutdown".

Why do you think that's inaccurate? When Obama was president and the Republicans did not want to pass a funding bill, it was likewise a "Republican Shutdown".
Note that the shutdown ended when 8 Dems decided to cave. That also shows that it was a Democratic shutdown.

And you are equally aware lying dishonest cunts in the media will label it as such.

Again, why are they "lying cunts"? Seems pretty accurate to me.

As a foereigner I am confused as to what the fucking goals the Democratic leadership have.

It baffles me too. The shutdown seemed a very reactive move without much strategic thought behind it.

 

[Derec]

This isn't "US Democrats", this is a few US Senator Democrats. This "deal" is absolute bullshit. The Democrats weren't making much headway, but they have the moral high ground. Giving in here gains nothing for the nation or the party. Unless there is something else not being reported, this sucks. Of course, one needs to remember this is about a continuing resolution. Not the actual budget... which still needs to pass.

I think it was partly driven by SNAP, but mostly by the chaos caused by air traffic controllers not being paid. This has already been the longest government shutdown ever.

I think it was far more than these eight Dem Senators. They were just the ones chosen to pull the trigger because they are not in danger of being primaried in 2026 - they are either retiring or not on ballot that year.

 

[TV and credit cards]

This isn't "US Democrats", this is a few US Senator Democrats. This "deal" is absolute bullshit. The Democrats weren't making much headway, but they have the moral high ground. Giving in here gains nothing for the nation or the party. Unless there is something else not being reported, this sucks. Of course, one needs to remember this is about a continuing resolution. Not the actual budget... which still needs to pass.

I think it was partly driven by SNAP, but mostly by the chaos caused by air traffic controllers not being paid. This has already been the longest government shutdown ever.

I think it was far more than these eight Dem Senators. They were just the ones chosen to pull the trigger because they are not in danger of being primaried in 2026 - they are either retiring or not on ballot that year.

That's it in a nutshell. People needing to eat now with Trump doing everything he could to stop/delay payment and use their hunger as a bargaining chip. Abhorrent? You betcha. And an already stretched and stressed ATC missing two paychecks. Over 50% of people live paycheck to paycheck. Irresponsible? Perhaps. But it is what it is. And this behavior ranges across income groups.

 

[Gospel]

Irresponsible?

When people say Americans are “irresponsible with money,” what they really mean is that we’re not poor enough yet. financial responsibility means not buying a home, not starting a family, and living in your car just to avoid debt these days. True financial responsibility used to mean working hard, saving, and building a future. Now it just means surviving an economy that punishes you for trying to live like a fucking human being.

 

[Gospel]

I think it was partly driven by SNAP, but mostly by the chaos caused by air traffic controllers not being paid. This has already been the longest government shutdown ever.

Yup, during this shutdown, unions representing federal workers and air traffic controllers faced real pressure from their own members, who were missing paychecks and struggling to stay afloat. To avoid a full-blown crisis among the very people they represent, these unions pushed lawmakers, especially Democrats, to end the shutdown. It wasn’t about caving politically; it was about preventing hundred thousands of federal workers from collapsing financially and turning that anger inward toward their own unions.

If I were paying union dues like an insurance premium, I’d expect some kind of real return on investment during a government shutdown, not just statements and sympathy. What are y’all doing with the money if I have to stand in line at a food bank? This isn’t the first government shutdown. You’re telling me after all these years, nobody’s figured out how to prep for this?

I don’t know, how about a goddamn auto-approved advance tied to federal payroll? Like, a credit union that seamlessly covers payments during the shutdown, then gets reimbursed when back pay hits. It’s not rocket science, why the fuck haven’t these unions set something like that up already?

Edit: And before someone says "what credit union could possibly have that much money?" I'm not talking about a single Credit Union. Duh.