By Doing What's Right, Pain of Govt Shutdowns Avoidable

Unfortunately, the U.S. government was shut down due to a lapse in funding as the 2026 fiscal year (FY) began on Oct. 1.

Although the U.S. House had passed a temporary spending bill that would have kept the government open, Democratic minority leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. rallied his fellow Democrats to defeat the bill in the Senate.

To their credit, three senators who caucus with Democrats ‒ Sens. John Fetterman, D-Pa., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., and Angus King, I-Maine, voted with Senate Republicans to keep the government open. The only GOP senator to vote no for the spending bill was Rand Paul, R-Ky.  (See: Which Democrats Broke Ranks to Fund the Government).

In case you missed it, this writer did not say that Rand Paul joined Democrats in voting "No," and there is a very good reason for this.

Sen. Paul has a history of voting against spending bills that add to the deficit, and he stated that this was his reason for voting no. On the other hand, Schumer and the Democrats voted "No" on the bill because they want to increase spending.

The real problem for Schumer and the Democrats who joined him is that they have now shut down the government by opposing spending levels that they have supported in the recent past.

The House passed a clean continuing resolution (CR) that does not include any major changes to FY25 spending levels.

With the exception of a couple of minor adjustments, the bill merely seeks to temporarily extend current spending levels that Schumer supported earlier this year.  (More here: House Republicans Pass Stopgap Government Funding Bill, Set Up Senate Showdown)

Vice President J.D. Vance and a number of other Republicans have called this the "Schumer Shutdown" and said this is being driven by Schumer's concern for his political future.

They have a point.

As previously noted, Schumer did the right thing earlier this year in supporting a CR that is almost identical to the one he is now opposing. (See: Chuck Schumer Faces Heat Over Government Shutdown and Healthcare Fight | Fox News)

Unfortunately for Sen. Schumer, instead of congratulating him for doing the right thing a few months ago, the extreme left base of his party condemned him for that vote.

Among those criticizing him was Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

After she called Schumer's vote "a tremendous mistake," many Democrats began encouraging her to challenge Schumer when he is up for re-election.

I don't believe it is a stretch to assume this political pressure is weighing on Schumer's decision making.    (See: 'Tremendous Mistake': Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Blasts Schumer Over GOP Funding Plan Vote - ABC News)

Although essential government services such as law enforcement, military, and air traffic control will continue, a shutdown is not painless.

For government employees, especially essential employees who must continue working, this means they are working without pay.  While these workers, along with other government workers, have traditionally been paid retroactively, not having a timely paycheck can still be a financial strain on working families.

The American people also feel pain during a government shutdown, particularly those who are planning to visit national parks and other federal facilities where staffing will be limited and some amenities will be closed. 

Additionally, there are concerns that the shutdown could lead to security screening and flight delays for those travelling. (More here: How the Government Shutdown Affects National Parks - CBS News, The Smithsonian Will Stay Open Through at Least Monday, Despite the Shutdown | WLRN, The US Government Shutdown Could Impact Travel Plans | AP News)

The good news is those who receive Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and veteran's benefits will continue to receive these benefits during the shutdown. 

However, it should be noted that some services ordinarily offered by these agencies may be limited due to staffing shortages brought on by the shutdown. (See: VA Contingency Planning, Government shutdown 2025: A Guide to What's Still Open, What's Closed and What's Fuzzy - POLITICO)

The day after the shutdown began, the Washington Examiner ran an editorial, "The Senseless Schumer Shutdown."

In that Op-ed, they offered the view that this shutdown had much less to do with any policy differences between Democrats and Republicans than it did with Schumer's base wanting to see him fight against Donald Trump.  (Read: The Senseless Schumer Shutdown - Washington Examiner)

As recently as March of this year, Schumer held the position that government operations should not be held hostage over political differences.

It's sad that he has had to cave to the  extreme left who want to see him fight President Trump and the Republicans, even if it that means blowing up the government.

I've always believed that Americans want their politicians to do the right thing for the people regardless of their political party affiliation.

The good news is that three Democratic senators have already done the right thing by voting to keep the government open.

Let’s hope a few more soon join them so that the government can re-open.

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Joe from Texas is a family man with children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. He's experienced tremendous success and lived the American Dream. His beliefs are both straightforward and deeply held. He believes in God, his family, and the United States of America. Read Joe Penland's Reports — More Here.