As a rule, we oppose federal government shutdowns.
When the federal government shuts down, Americans suffer. And there has been plenty of suffering in America during the past six weeks.
The nation’s longest federal government shutdown led to workers going without pay, long lines at food distributions, a temporary freeze of SNAP benefits that led to a massive spike in food insecurity, the cancellation and delay of thousands of flights, a lack of key economic data, and a general sense of uneasiness and wariness about the future as we head into the holiday season and then the 2026 midterm elections.
While this shutdown focused attention on a significant and pressing issue — the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies that could lead to steep premium increases and the loss of health insurance for millions of Americans — it brought no resolution.
Democrats had demanded an extension of those subsidies, but in the end seven Democrats and one independent in the U.S. Senate agreed to a deal with Republicans that keeps the government funded through January, as well as separate spending bills that fund agriculture, military construction and legislative programs.
Federal layoffs during the shutdown will be reversed, and back pay will be covered for those who were furloughed. There is likely to be a vote in December about the ACA subsidies, although Republicans are unlikely to extend them.
As we have editorialized, we support making permanent, not simply extending, the ACA subsidies as they have made health insurance and medical treatment accessible to millions of Americans.
Should these subsidies be allowed to lapse, as expected, Democrats should bludgeon Republicans for being so unresponsive to the health care needs of American families and to the pain of rising costs overall.
Government shutdowns are always difficult, but this one has been particularly dreadful as the Trump administration ratcheted up the pain by refusing to fund the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program.
The administration refused to tap into a $6 billion contingency fund to support SNAP payments and fought a court order to fund SNAP payments.
Some 42 million people receive SNAP benefits, which are about $187 a month. About 86% of all SNAP benefits go to households that include a child, elderly person or person with disabilities. About 92% of SNAP benefits go to households with income at or below the federal poverty line, and most nondisabled SNAP recipients work.
SNAP beneficiaries are far removed from the halls of power, and they should not be used as pawns.
One criticism from the left against those in their camp who voted to end the shutdown is that Democrats, fresh off sweeping victories in New York, New Jersey, Virginia and California, caved to Republicans by not winning a bipartisan renewal of ACA subsidies.
We understand this outlook, but sustaining the shutdown also sustains suffering. It would mean continued food insecurity for millions of Americans.
Democrats now have the benefit of having elevated health care and the expiring subsidies in the national conversation, ameliorating food insecurity before the holidays and likely putting Republicans to a record vote on health care in December.
We are loathe to frame the politics of shutting down the federal government in terms of winners and losers — it shouldn’t be a question of easing hunger or subsidizing health insurance, right? — but Democrats have emerged from the shutdown with undeniable momentum for 2026.
