Another Government Shutdown Thread

[LouderVol]

When you were in school, if you had a class where the syllabus said that said you needed 60% to pass and 47% of the grade was homework, and you didn’t do a single homework assignment, would that be your fault or the homework’s fault?

who is responsible for both the Democrats (homework) and the Republicans (tests)?

I mean the voters I guess, but I am not sure how that addresses the situation you created.

the actual situation is that instead of passing a budget for the full year, they could only agree on a CR for 6 months. when that 6 months ran out, the Rs wanted to keep going with what everyone agreed to originally. while the Dems said no we want to make changes instead of enough agreeing to what they did the last time.

seems like the ones to point the finger at are the ones who changed their votes from the original CR.

 

[Vol423]

You have to buy insurance to drive your car.

That's false.

 

[Vol423]

Only if you drive it on public roads.

We have a winner.

 

[RockyTop85]

The answer's obvious. Please make your point 'cause I'm not getting it from your riddles like this one. I'm a direct guy. I'm not the best at playing games. My apologies

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.

OK, so what did you want to see come out of this? Surely you didn't want the additional $1.5T in spending...

I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

The longer this goes on and the average working American sees no effect on their life the more people will start to ask where is all this money actually going.

Or they will buy in and believe it is Trump's fault.

 

[LouderVol]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

Trump signs funding bill to avert a government shutdown

Trump signed the bill into law on Saturday, averting a government shutdown.

www.nbcnews.com

"In addition to Schumer, nine other Democrats voted to advance the bill: Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Gary Peters of Michigan, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats."

Previously these 9/10 Dems did work with the Rs to pass the previous CR.

My understanding is that this CR was the same.

Going back and reading that one it was clear the Dems were being political then, and are being political now.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

 

[volfanhill]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

Goes hand in hand with the silly notion that "the other side wants to ruin this country"

 

[Sea Ray]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

There's no final victories here. This is a patchwork deal to fund things through January. It'll allow Americans to travel smoothly over the holidays

Absolutely we need a budget but if they can't agree on one the default should not be a gov't shutdown. The default should be a spending freeze. Our parties absolutely are not working together. They haven't worked together since 2010 but I acknowledge it's worse now. Both parties are to blame but as voters this is all we got. Not voting for anyone doesn't help the situation

 

[BowlBrother85]

Probably. That wouldn't make much difference here so not sure how it would help. Takes 3 to 5 years to become a certified controller so you cant just fire them and bring newbs in.

Well, of course, you can! As long as they are PATRIOTS!

Trump threatens air traffic controllers, offers "patriots" $10K bonus

Thousands of flights have been canceled as a consequence of the federal government shutdown.

www.newsweek.com

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/10/trump-threatens-replace-air-traffic-controllers-00644514

 

[FLVOL_79]

Well, of course, you can! As long as they are PATRIOTS!

Trump threatens air traffic controllers, offers "patriots" $10K bonus

Thousands of flights have been canceled as a consequence of the federal government shutdown.

www.newsweek.com

https://www.politico.com/news/2025/11/10/trump-threatens-replace-air-traffic-controllers-00644514

Dude so badly wants civil service to be loyal to him and not the constitution. Anyone marching to Trumps beat is the farthest thing you can be from a patriot. More like the bad guys from Rambo 2 but they haven't realized it yet.

He is going to "recommend" 10k. Demands people not complain or take time off. Lol. Bro. Learn to lead instead of sleazy NYC bribes.

 

[SpaceCoastVol]

Why are MY tax dollars going to build the roads YOU drive on ?

Also, I'm glad to know that young people never need health care. I'm sure the folks at St. Jude will be glad to hear they can close down.

The tourists pay for our roads here in Florida, Dianne

 

[Ritzwatch]

Probably. That wouldn't make much difference here so not sure how it would help. Takes 3 to 5 years to become a certified controller so you cant just fire them and bring newbs in.

Is there a distinction between being a “certified controller” and being a controller who is “certified” within a particular airspace?

If yes, how long would it take someone who was otherwise certified (presumably, “qualified”), to become certified within a particular airspace?

For example, if a qualified ATC moved from Miami to LA and looked for a job, how long until they could be up and running?

TIA.

 

[FLVOL_79]

Is there a distinction between being a “certified controller” and being a controller who is “certified” within a particular airspace?

If yes, how long would it take someone who was otherwise certified (presumably, “qualified”), to become certified within a particular airspace?

For example, if a qualified ATC moved from Miami to LA and looked for a job, how long until they could be up and running?

TIA.

Maybe a year? I think you gotta go to each sector and get checked out. I'm not a controller. Depends on the complexity of their airspace I'm sure too. I've seen people go from being checked out at a level 9 tower then moving to a level 11 TRACON, not being able to hack it, and get fired.

 

[hog88]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

It doesn't take 60 votes in the senate to pass a budget, it takes a simple majority. It takes 60 votes to kill a filibuster by childish senators.

 

[RockyTop85]

who is responsible for both the Democrats (homework) and the Republicans (tests)?

I mean the voters I guess, but I am not sure how that addresses the situation you created.

the actual situation is that instead of passing a budget for the full year, they could only agree on a CR for 6 months. when that 6 months ran out, the Rs wanted to keep going with what everyone agreed to originally. while the Dems said no we want to make changes instead of enough agreeing to what they did the last time.

seems like the ones to point the finger at are the ones who changed their votes from the original CR.

Context for others coming in at this point: this is in response to someone saying that a minority shut down the government. This isn’t an attempt to apportion all blame to the Republican Party (or to absolve Democrats).

Respectfully, I don’t think that’s an accurate description of the situation leading up to this. But I don’t think it matters.

The filibuster creates an obligation to obtain 60 votes.

A majority caucus with less than 60 members has 3 choices:
1. Negotiate to get the remaining votes;
2. Don’t pass a bill to fund the government, costing taxpayers a bunch of money when the government reopens; or
3. Change the rules.

The fact that those options get progressively worse just reinforces the obligation to negotiate.

Leading up to the shutdown, the majority knew they weren’t getting 60 votes. Yet they didn’t make any effort to get minority votes. They didn’t do their homework and then tried to blame the homework for their failure to pass.
During the shutdown, the majority just kept calling votes on the same bill that couldn’t get any minority votes.

Now 40 days in, senate republicans offer a relatively modest compromise and peeled off the votes they needed. That’s how it is supposed to work.

 

[BowlBrother85]

Dude so badly wants civil service to be loyal to him and not the constitution. Anyone marching to Trumps beat is the farthest thing you can be from a patriot. More like the bad guys from Rambo 2 but they haven't realized it yet.

He is going to "recommend" 10k. Demands people not complain or take time off. Lol. Bro. Learn to lead instead of sleazy NYC bribes.

Rather than acting as a facilitator of negotiation, and the mediator of compromise, Donald Trump will resort to lodging personal insults and making threats, in order to hasten an end result, regardless of what that result might involve. That is equal portions of laziness and intellectual immaturity. It is anything but sound leadership. Donald Trump is hopelessly simple-minded, and unsophisticated in his approach to dealing with people who dare to have opposing perspectives.

 

[LouderVol]

Context for others coming in at this point: this is in response to someone saying that a minority shut down the government. This isn’t an attempt to apportion all blame to the Republican Party (or to absolve Democrats).

Respectfully, I don’t think that’s an accurate description of the situation leading up to this. But I don’t think it matters.

The filibuster creates an obligation to obtain 60 votes.

A majority caucus with less than 60 members has 3 choices:
1. Negotiate to get the remaining votes;
2. Don’t pass a bill to fund the government, costing taxpayers a bunch of money when the government reopens; or
3. Change the rules.

The fact that those options get progressively worse just reinforces the obligation to negotiate.

Leading up to the shutdown, the majority knew they weren’t getting 60 votes. Yet they didn’t make any effort to get minority votes. They didn’t do their homework and then tried to blame the homework for their failure to pass.
During the shutdown, the majority just kept calling votes on the same bill that couldn’t get any minority votes.

Now 40 days in, senate republicans offer a relatively modest compromise and peeled off the votes they needed. That’s how it is supposed to work.

its interesting to me that implication is that the majority is the one under the obligation. That is not how I have commonly heard it argued. in the past it was the minority Rs obligation to align with the wants of the majority Ds because elections have consequences.

The Dems could also have made proposals for compromise.

and as I pointed out, this CR did have Democrat support back in March, I believe, whenever it was passed to cover until October. The Rs put up the same CR they had previously compromised on. but this time it wasn't enough for the Dems. the Dems came back and asked for more, and not a small or modest modification. 33% more spending.

at some point you can't give the Mouse a cookie. giving the mice, both sides, cookies, is how we ended up in this current failure.

 

[RockyTop85]

It doesn't take 60 votes in the senate to pass a budget, it takes a simple majority. It takes 60 votes to kill a filibuster by childish senators.

If it were childish, it wouldn’t be a problem to change the rules.

 

[LouderVol]

Rather than acting as a facilitator of negotiation, and the mediator of compromise, Donald Trump will resort to lodging personal insults and making threats, in order to hasten an end result, regardless of what that result might involve. That is equal portions of laziness and intellectual immaturity. It is anything but sound leadership. Donald Trump is hopelessly simple-minded, and unsophisticated in his approach to dealing with people who dare to have opposing perspectives.

I would really love some past examples of any president actually being a mediator. every situation I can remember had the president supporting his side, demanding the other side come work with them.

literally Obama being a mediator was "Elections have consequences, and I won". and that was on a secret bill he hadn't even read. Pelosi dropped the "we have to vote on it to see what is in it". that is how the Dems "negotiated".

 

[Sea Ray]

Context for others coming in at this point: this is in response to someone saying that a minority shut down the government. This isn’t an attempt to apportion all blame to the Republican Party (or to absolve Democrats).

Respectfully, I don’t think that’s an accurate description of the situation leading up to this. But I don’t think it matters.

The filibuster creates an obligation to obtain 60 votes.

A majority caucus with less than 60 members has 3 choices:
1. Negotiate to get the remaining votes;
2. Don’t pass a bill to fund the government, costing taxpayers a bunch of money when the government reopens; or
3. Change the rules.

The fact that those options get progressively worse just reinforces the obligation to negotiate.

Leading up to the shutdown, the majority knew they weren’t getting 60 votes. Yet they didn’t make any effort to get minority votes. They didn’t do their homework and then tried to blame the homework for their failure to pass.
During the shutdown, the majority just kept calling votes on the same bill that couldn’t get any minority votes.

Now 40 days in, senate republicans offer a relatively modest compromise and peeled off the votes they needed. That’s how it is supposed to work.

So it's your understanding that Republicans didn't offer this deal a month ago and if they did, Dems would've accepted it? I don't see it that way. Things like SNAP and pay for furloughed workers weren't even an issue until the shutdown got out of hand. The Republicans agreed to those concessions because the Dems voted 13x to shutdown the gov't

 

[NEO]

There are 47 democrat senators and the rules say you need 60 votes to pass a budget through the senate.

Until last Wednesday, Republicans didn’t lift a finger to try get to 60 votes.

That’s not “a minority shutting down the government,” that’s the entire government failing to function.



I want to see a government (and populace) that realizes that we all have to live together and proceeds govern (and vote) accordingly.

The idea that one side or the other is about to achieve final victory over the other if they can just temporarily block enough of their agenda is insane.

I want a government that lets lazy people who refuse to work starve to death and ONLY helps those who cannot help themselves.

 

[Vol423]

who said "never need health care".

I was one of those healthy young people that got screwed by Obama. I had coverage that fit me to the T.

Covered emergency visits decently, regular office visits, and testing for something I have a family history for. cost me like 50 bucks a month. I was healthy (ish) and only need the regular appointments.

post ACA, I was paying about 200 bucks a month. lost the testing. but that extra 150 made sure my OBGYN and mammograms were 100% covered. as a young male with no real issues, what OBYGN and mammograms? Eff if I know, but Obama made sure I was paying for them. deductibles were way worse too.

I could 100% have put that money to a better use than spending money on something I could literally never use.

You should have scheduled OBGYN and mammogram appts.

 

[hog88]

If it were childish, it wouldn’t be a problem to change the rules.

It was childish, much like previous shutdowns.

 

[NorthDallas40]

Just completed my open enrollment for retiree healthcare at my former company. 55% increase in premiums. **** the ACA and all it did to screw up healthcare for all of us.