On Nov. 13, 2025, the longest government shutdown in American history ended: 43 long days of anxiety as over 600,000 federal workers were sent home without pay. Americans traveling across the country struggled as thousands of flights were canceled each week the shutdown dragged on. The cause of this shutdown? Congress’s inability to fund the government.
Democrats refused to pass the Republican-proposed funding bill, demanding health care subsidy extensions for millions of Americans. One of the major points of contention that ultimately pushed the Democrats to cave was the approximately 42 million Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients that the Trump administration was willing to put in harm’s way for their agenda. In the end, the deal Democrats came to didn’t include the health benefits they sought while it did require allocation for additional SNAP funds and back pay for federal workers.
Overall, it is not a stretch to say that the Democrats choked. While being in what was widely considered an advantageous position, they conceded damages that will require additional funding. Moreover, the Trump administration and their foreign policy crusade has failed to serve American citizens, all while holding control of Congress, the executive branch, and even swaying the Supreme Court more than previous presidents have. This was the Democrats’ opportunity to hold this administration accountable while exposing the lack of care the Trump administration has for their constituents. But the Democrats couldn’t do that, as their lack of unity and failure to adapt to this new era of politics was on display once more.
It is extremely disheartening that so many Americans were harmed for no reason at all. Democrats needed to step up for Americans nationwide and advocate for the health benefits that are widely needed. Their inability to do this, in my eyes, explains why their polling numbers are worse than Republicans’, alongside the election result of Zohran Mamdani. Mamdani’s victory represented the success of a new kind of Democrat over the old. Whereas Mamdani ran for policies that supported his constituents, the old Democrats ran against Trump without a concrete plan. It is this failure that has lost support and why Mamdani’s victory was so exciting nationally, despite only being a mayoral election.
Now, as we live in the aftermath of the shutdown, it is important for the Democratic leadership to unite the party. The government is only funded through Jan. 30, 2026, so the potential for another shutdown looms not so far ahead. Ideally, the American people should hold their representatives accountable. They should fight for us, and if that means the government shuts down once more for all Americans to benefit, then so be it.
