Democrats moved to end the government shutdown on Sunday night, abandoning the party's 40-day standoff without much to show for it.

https://www.axios.com/2025/11/10/governm...edits-vote

(November 10, 2025 at 4:04 pm)Paraselene Wrote: Democrats moved to end the government shutdown on Sunday night, abandoning the party's 40-day standoff without much to show for it.

https://www.axios.com/2025/11/10/governm...edits-vote

Rand Paul is busy slowing the process down, and I bet Mike Johnson will take his sweet time calling the House back to work.

Would someone please explain to me how the Dems are in any meaningful way (other than degree) different from the Repugs. I think it's now shown beyond any reasonable doubt that neither have any fucks to give for their constituents. As near as I can tell, we're fucked either way, but the Dems will at least give us flowers.

Those who decided to vote in favor of ending it only wanted to end the suffering of the people, not realizing that in the long run the suffering continues due to their cowardice.

(November 10, 2025 at 5:47 pm)Ravenshire Wrote: Would someone please explain to me how the Dems are in any meaningful way (other than degree) different from the Repugs. I think it's now shown beyond any reasonable doubt that neither have any fucks to give for their constituents. As near as I can tell, we're fucked either way, but the Dems will at least give us flowers.

If Dems were in power, none of this BS would be happening.

(November 10, 2025 at 5:51 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(November 10, 2025 at 5:47 pm)Ravenshire Wrote: Would someone please explain to me how the Dems are in any meaningful way (other than degree) different from the Repugs. I think it's now shown beyond any reasonable doubt that neither have any fucks to give for their constituents. As near as I can tell, we're fucked either way, but the Dems will at least give us flowers.

If Dems were in power, none of this BS would be happening.

Meh. It would just be different, less open and obvious BS.

(November 10, 2025 at 5:47 pm)Ravenshire Wrote: Would someone please explain to me how the Dems are in any meaningful way (other than degree) different from the Repugs. I think it's now shown beyond any reasonable doubt that neither have any fucks to give for their constituents. As near as I can tell, we're fucked either way, but the Dems will at least give us flowers.

Jeffries was saying this morning that Dems shouldn't criticize Schumer, that he "fought the good fight".

From where I stand, Schumer spent forty-one days claiming he was defending poor folk and medical care, and then he surrendered. That is not fighting the good fight. That is abject surrender. Anyone who takes this GOP at its word is a fool -- or as you indicate, a tool in the original sense of that word.

I think the Dems accomplished a great deal. At the beginning of the shutdown, there was little public awareness of the Democrats concerns, and plenty of messaging regarding giving healthcare to illegals. Since that time, the false line about healthcare for illegals has dissipated and the public is far more aware of what the Republicans want to do and how little they care about average Americans. This will add significant pressure during the negotiations preceding the December CR expiration, and likely influence voters for quite some time. Whether it is forgotten by the midterms or further intransigence from Republicans causes an enduring sting remains to be seen. If the midterms were today, this shutdown would have swung many races by a few points.

(November 10, 2025 at 5:51 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote:

(November 10, 2025 at 5:47 pm)Ravenshire Wrote: Would someone please explain to me how the Dems are in any meaningful way (other than degree) different from the Repugs. I think it's now shown beyond any reasonable doubt that neither have any fucks to give for their constituents. As near as I can tell, we're fucked either way, but the Dems will at least give us flowers.

If Dems were in power, none of this BS would be happening.

I'm not so sure. America seems to enjoy our peculiar brand of political theater, and if the Dems were in power, the GOP would have even more incentive to shut down the government, in order to prevent the Dems from implementing policies.

(November 10, 2025 at 6:04 pm)Thumpalumpacus Wrote:

(November 10, 2025 at 5:51 pm)Mister Agenda Wrote: If Dems were in power, none of this BS would be happening.

I'm not so sure. America seems to enjoy our peculiar brand of political theater, and if the Dems were in power, the GOP would have even more incentive to shut down the government, in order to prevent the Dems from implementing policies.

I was thinking recently that both sides are a bit of a con game. We let ourselves think that our vote and other modest contributions will ultimately yield a windfall in terms of favorable policies enacted, just as a lottery player thinks that their $2 ticket is going to net them a good bit of return, and it never does, with either politics, or the lottery. But we let our confidence in the likelihood of such a result be manipulated by promises and exhortations whose sincerity seems to evaporate when they hit the bargaining table. We keep thinking that if we just invest a little, we'll get back a lot. But that's unrealistic. Where else in life would you expect this?