The Republican Game Plan: Government Shutdown Edition

Katey Parham
Nov 22
2 min read

The government shutdown is looming, and if it isn’t already, it will be dominating headlines. So today’s Substack gives you the rundown: What is a government shutdown? What is the Republican game plan? And most importantly, how can we fight back?

The government will shut down on October 1st if Congress does not pass a spending bill, which would fund the government for the whole year, or a continuing resolution, which temporarily funds the government while negotiations continue.

I had a conversation with former Congressman Conor Lamb, and he does a great job explaining what is going on in Congress.

What is a government shutdown?

A government shutdown happens when Congress does not pass a spending bill, meaning non-essential government services will be paused. Essential workers (i.e. air traffic controllers) will still work, but they will be paid once the shutdown ends. In other words, these workers are forced to work for free. PBS has a great explanation of what happens during a government shutdown.

What is the Republican Game Plan?

Republicans will try to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, and they will take actions to try to force Democrats to vote on their bill.

This is going to be a messaging battle, and right now, Republicans are winning the impressions game on this issue. Republicans are actually in a difficult position because they want to please their billionaire donor base and Donald Trump, but they lose popularity because raising the costs of health care is unpopular amongst their voters.

A spending bill needs 60 votes to pass in the Senate, so Republicans have to work across the aisle. Democrats are pushing for an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits that lower the costs of health insurance. Without an extension of these tax credits, people can expect their monthly health insurance premium in the ACA marketplace to increase.

However, rather than working across the aisle, Republicans are listening to Donald Trump’s orders and refusing to negotiate with Democrats. Trump canceled a meeting with Democratic leadership and is preparing to fire government employees if the government shuts down. Trump is using everyday working people as a political pawn to ensure his billionaire-first budget is advanced.