Progressive Dems Don’t Seem Eager for Another Government Shutdown…for Now

Do you remember the last government shutdown? Well, we’re heading for anything one. On January 30, 2026, the funding runs out again. Obamacare subsidies are once again the source of political heartburn on the Hill. It’s led some moderate Republicans to get nervous and latch onto Democratic procedural antics as we close out December. Republicans would rather allow citizens to pool together and buy in groups to lower premiums. 

Anyways, for now, progressive Democrats aren’t jonesing for another showdown, though they feel the one in the messaging war, an odd conclusion since they caved, but whatever. So, for now, no one is gearing up for another shutdown fight, but that could change if January turns into a circus (via Semafor):

…even progressives who disliked the deal to end the shutdown said the party is not discussing plunging into another one.

“There’s been no discussion about shutdowns. I haven’t heard a word by any of my colleagues about a shutdown,” Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., told Semafor. “And the last time in the run-up there was discussion about what we wanted: health care. But I haven’t heard that discussion now.” 

To be clear, Democrats aren’t quite giving up all their leverage in either chamber of Congress for January; they could change their minds depending on how bipartisan talks on the expiring enhanced premium tax credits go next month. 

They also want to assess how progress on bipartisan spending bills; if those pieces stall out, it will require another stopgap spending bill that Democrats will not like. 

[…] 

Just eight Senate Democrats and six House Democrats supported the deal to reopen the government, which included three full-year funding bills through Sept. 30. Those would make another shutdown less painful — SNAP is funded through them, for example. 

Nonetheless, Democrats are actively debating how to fund the government through the regular process or potentially face another take-it-or-leave-it stopgap bill from the House. These decisions will be made in the context of whether an unlikely health care deal comes together. 

“We’re working on appropriation bills to prevent another shutdown, now,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. “Let’s see what January brings. But people are hurting. Everything’s getting more expensive.” 

[…] 

“First we have to see how the appropriations process is working to really get a better sense of that a couple weeks into January,” added the more centrist Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich. “It’s a little premature to try to speculate that right now.”

 But after a painful split in reopening the government, Democrats are back to a more unified position. Even the party’s more progressive members say they want to get regular spending bills done, which would potentially take the government shutdown threat off the table or at least mitigate the effects of one. 

“In an ideal world, we pass the appropriations bills. That is the mission,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.

Yeah, I don’t trust these people, and they’re more than willing to gamble early in a midterm year if the need arises. For this party’s base, anything to hurt Trump is rewarded so brace for insanity, but hope for the best. 

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