Well, Senate Democrats proved one thing with the government shutdown they started October 1, and ended Sunday night: No one who triggers a shutdown ever gets what they say they’re fighting for.
Back in 1996, when shutdowns were still novel, Newt Gingrich’s Republicans surrendered after 21 days without winning Medicare cuts. The Ted Cruz–led GOP crusade to defund Obamacare ended with a whimper after 16 days in 2013. Senate Democrats folded in 2018 after a quickie three-day shutdown failed to stir then–President Trump on immigration. And Trump himself had to capitulate without getting border-wall funding after 35 days in 2019.
Now the longest shutdown ever—41 days and counting—is about to end even though Senate Democrats failed to get an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies. There are i’s to dot and t’s to cross, but the government will likely reopen later this week because eight moderate Democratic senators agreed to provide the Republicans the votes needed to break a filibuster. The House is expected to vote to end the shutdown by midweek.
