Senate Democrats Break Silence About Shutdown
Washington, D.C. — As the government shutdown stretches into another week, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) openly admitted that Democrats are benefitting politically from the crisis — even as thousands of federal workers, veterans, and military families brace for missed paychecks.
Appearing on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Whitehouse proudly told host Jonathan Lemire that Democrats are “doing just fine” while accusing Republicans of abandoning their duties.
“I think for Democrats, it’s so far, so good,” Whitehouse said. “The Republican Speaker won’t even bring the House back to face the Epstein vote. They’ve just skedaddled while this shutdown goes on.”
Whitehouse’s dismissive tone struck many conservatives as out of touch, given that hardworking Americans are paying the price for Washington’s political games.
GOP Pushes to Reopen — Democrats Stall
Republicans in both chambers are calling for a clean spending bill to reopen the government immediately, without attaching liberal wish-list items like Obamacare subsidy extensions. But Senate Democrats blocked those efforts, insisting on adding Affordable Care Act tax credits to every proposal.
Senate Minority Whip John Thune (R-S.D.) fired back:
“This story’s getting old. Nothing’s changed. The conversation will happen when we open the government.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) continues to face criticism from the left for refusing to pass a separate measure that would pay U.S. troops during the shutdown. If the standoff continues past October 15, it would mark the first time in modern history that America’s service members go unpaid because of political gridlock in Washington.
Democrats Play Politics, Americans Pay the Price
Conservatives argue that Whitehouse’s comments reveal the left’s true priorities: politics over people. Instead of working to reopen the government, Democrats appear content to let federal workers and military families suffer — as long as Republicans take the blame.
Critics say this is part of a broader strategy to weaken Speaker Johnson and slow President Trump’s efforts to restore accountability and fiscal discipline to Washington.
The Biden administration has faced mounting criticism for its handling of the shutdown, inflation, and border crisis — yet Democrat leaders seem more interested in political theater than in helping the American people.
