Political Turmoil Amid Federal Shutdown
Michael Larosa, spokesperson for Jill Biden, shared on Thursday that Democrats might be falling into their own political traps as the federal government remains shut down.
The shutdown occurred after lawmakers couldn’t agree on a temporary funding bill before the deadline late Wednesday night. In an appearance on “The Record with Greta Van Susteren,” Larosa highlighted the challenge Democrats face: how can they defend federal employees while not backing a continuous solution tied to the budget they previously supported?
“That’s why Schumer voted in March to responsibly keep the government open,” Larosa noted. “So now, the question for Democrats is: How can you advocate for federal workers when there are funding cuts in play?”
He indicated that the prolonged closure could mean losing political ground to President Trump.
“President Trump could make these budget cuts appear trivial in just a week. If Democrats truly care about the federal workforce, they need to push for a continuing resolution. And remember, this is Biden’s budget and expenditure level, which complicates matters for Democrats,” Larosa added.
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer had previously voted to support the GOP-led Stop-Gap Expenditure Bill in March, aligning with nine other Democrats to avert government shutdowns. This decision faced backlash from progressive elements within the party, accusing him of capitulating to Republican demands.
Fast forward six months, and the situation has shifted. Schumer didn’t manage to get the House Pass suspension funding bill cleared, which failed to meet the 60-vote threshold—ending with a 55-45 tally. Earlier in September, Democrats also couldn’t push their own plans forward, leaving Congress without a clear route to fund the government.
The deadlock centers on the potential extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire after 2025. Democratic leaders resisted supporting a short-term bill that excluded these subsidy extensions, while Republicans moved ahead with their plans, blaming Democrats for creating the shutdown situation.
