Comments on: So, will it be the nuclear option to end the shutdown?

By: huxley

huxley — Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:28:53 +0000

Dems: End the shutdown or the Dept of X gets it in the headcount!

By: Niketas Choniates

Niketas Choniates — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 19:05:34 +0000

@neo:the shutdown is hurting Democrats

So far. Eventually it will hurt GOP clients and interest groups.

there isn’t all that much motivation for the GOP to end it.

Yes, agreed. But they can end it at any time. I’m expecting a new pork-laden CR which they might set aside the filibuster for, that’s my guess for why they haven’t done it yet, but I’m pretty cynical about Congress.

By: neo

neo — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 18:29:46 +0000

Niketas:

As I wrote in my post, the shutdown is hurting Democrats, so there isn’t all that much motivation for the GOP to end it.

By: Niketas Choniates

Niketas Choniates — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 14:19:48 +0000

@neo:There are others

The more “mavericks” there are, the MORE true it is that the Senate GOP collectively does not want to end the shutdown. They have the collective power to do it, but they are collectively choosing not to do it. I’m not in the meetings in the smoke-filled rooms so I can’t tell you who is holding out or why, but because I can count to 51 I can see that’s what it is.

And the more often they can agree to set aside the filibuster for less important things, the more obviously theater this becomes. The accountability lies with the GOP Senate leadership. There is some reason they are not doing whatever it is would be needed to secure 50 votes plus Vance for the CR. It’s not like the known holdouts are known for high and consistent principles, after all.

By: West TX Intermediate Crude

West TX Intermediate Crude — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 14:02:22 +0000

Right now I’m thinking that if they put ending daylight saving time into the CR, it would pass 99-1.

By: neo

neo — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:55:58 +0000

Niketas:

There are others – it’s discussed in the link in my post on “seems to be saying ‘no'”.

By: Niketsas Choniates

Niketsas Choniates — Sun, 02 Nov 2025 00:00:43 +0000

So, should the Republicans vote to be able to end the shutdown by a simple majority? I’m not sure that they presently have the votes to do it.

The Republicans have a majority. They have set aside the filibuster several times this year, most recently in October (I think people are finally catching on that the real threshold is only 51). If they having 53 Senators “don’t have the votes” it means this is a Republican shutdown.

They need 50 votes plus Vance. That means three Rs can defect if no D’s join. “Collins and Murkowski and Tillis” are three. There is therefore at least one other Republican holding out and the leadership doesn’t want to give him what he or she wants.

By: Watt

Watt — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 23:53:12 +0000

A commenter recently made the same suggestion as Kate on one of the townhall sites. I think that that limited exception is probably the optimal solution.

By: Selfy

Selfy — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 23:16:22 +0000

I wonder if the Republicans have also painted themselves into a corner. SNAP has ended, air traffic controllers are working without pay, and the Dems are saying it’s GOP’s fault, because GOP controls the government.

GOP says “But we don’t control the government, because we need 60 votes, except when we don’t.” Congress seems to rely on arcane rules to conceal what they are doing from the general public.

Of course, the Democrat media will blame the GOP. And as mentioned above, the CR is for only 20 days.

This is a $hit-show!

By: Jimmy

Jimmy — Sat, 01 Nov 2025 22:57:32 +0000

The standard negotiating ploy when your opponent has boxed himself in is to provide a face-saving way out. Not by capitulating, but with some symbolic or minor thing that allows them out of the box. Not sure what that would be here, but Thune or Johnson should be able to come up with something inconsequential but face-saving.