Schumer Shutdown is Emblematic of Democratic Desperation

Nathaniel Thomas, NY - Writer

On Sept. 30, 2025, the Republican majority of the United States Senate introduced a short-term appropriations bill to avoid the imminent threat of a federal government shutdown. All this bill would have done was extend the existing budget for seven weeks to give lawmakers more time to negotiate a solution, while allowing the federal government to continue its general responsibilities and duties to the American people. The Democratic Party refused.

Led by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), the Democrats decided that they wanted a government shutdown. All but three Democrats voted against ending the filibuster for the proposal, and at 12:01 AM on Oct. 1, the government paused its responsibilities. Senator Schumer and the Democrats were keenly aware of what would happen as a result of this.

According to the Congressional Budget Office, the last government shutdown – from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019 – permanently removed an estimated $3 billion of gross domestic product, directly taking money out of the paychecks of millions of Americans. 

With the pay of the millions of federal workers impacted, consumer spending has and will continue to decrease as long as the shutdown continues, affecting the locally owned restaurants and stores of the Washington metropolitan area massively. A government shutdown only serves to hurt the lives of American workers, business owners, and consumers. So, why would the Democratic Party, which claims to be the party of working people, shut down the government?

The answer: the leadership of the Democratic Party believes that starting a political debate, they think the party can win, is more important than the well-being of the American people. Senator Schumer and other Democrats think so little of the average American’s political awareness that they believe voters will blame Republicans for the fact they can’t visit their favorite national park or access veterans’ services, simply because Republicans have a legislative trifecta. 

However, their plan is blowing up in their face, as it has been made apparent that the Democrats have been the party refusing to compromise and reach a deal to re-open the government.

Since the beginning of the shutdown, the GOP has reintroduced the continuing resolution to end the shutdown 13 times as of October 28, according to ABC News, but the Democratic minority has filibustered it every single time. 1.4 million federal workers have now missed two paychecks because of this shutdown, and what do the Democrats have to show for it?

Polling data from Quinnipiac University shows the approval of the Republican majority in Congress has increased compared to before the shutdown began. Additionally, the most recent Gallup poll on issues Americans find most important saw just 6% of those surveyed answer with “healthcare,” the very issue that the Democrats shut down the government for. 

What do voters actually care the most about? By a resounding plurality of 28%, the answer was the effectiveness of the government. Senator Schumer and the Democratic Senate Minority must acknowledge that their desperate, foolhardy gambit has failed, take responsibility for the harm they have inflicted on the American people, and end their government shutdown.