After 43 days, the longest US government shutdown in history is coming to an end. Federal workers will start receiving pay again, and national parks will reopen. Government services that had been curtailed or suspended entirely will resume, restoring a sense of normalcy. Yet, what has this shutdown accomplished, and what has it cost?
Senate Democrats used the parliamentary filibuster to trigger the shutdown despite their minority status. They demanded an extension of health insurance subsidies for low-income Americans, which are set to expire. However, when a few Democrats voted to reopen the government, they received little in return—a promise of a vote in the Senate but no guarantees for support in the House.
Amid Democratic discontent, California's Governor Gavin Newsom criticized the deal as 'pathetic.' With 2028 presidential ambitions, he symbolizes the frustrations of the party's left flank, further complicating the landscape for Democratic leaders.
On the Republican side, Trump reveled in the end of the shutdown, calling it a major win for his party. He took to social media to underscore the Democrats' struggles and shifted the focus away from healthcare issues, which could become a serious concern for voters facing rising insurance costs.
As Congress resumes its regular schedule, the potential for future political strife looms large, suggesting that the end of the shutdown may only be a precursor to further contentious debates over spending and healthcare policy.
