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US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

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Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#11

Post by quamserena »

jalapenos wrote: post #2

Correct me if wrong, but this looks like a severe own-goal for the democrats? A long shutdown to try and force something - as a minority party, using the senate 60 vote threshold quirk, that they didn't get?

Absolutely. Party has no leadership. The progressive wing has been organizing their base, protesting, and calling congressional offices, trying to encourage centrist Dems do something. They finally do this but then get fold immediately when the market starts to dip and flights get canceled. The progressive wing will now proceed to spam call their offices, protest book tours, and call for Chuck Schumer to step down. Rinse and repeat at the next deadline on Jan 30.

If Mamdani’s victory is anything to go by it’s that the centrist Dems are toast. They will get primaried. They know this, it’s why the fall guys that voted to end the shutdown are not up for reelection during the midterms.

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#12

Post by yongjik »

mindslight wrote: post #9
jalapenos wrote: post #2

Correct me if wrong, but this looks like a severe own-goal for the democrats? A long shutdown to try and force something - as a minority party, using the senate 60 vote threshold quirk, that they didn't get?

The Democratic establishment is particularly adept at own-goals, unfortunately. It feels like Congressional Democrats got one whiff of a "blue wave" from the elections, and we're right back to 2024 or 2016 where they think they can just phone it in with milquetoast compromise and people will "have to" show up and vote Democrat. Choosing to focus on healthcare subsidies instead of Congressional Republicans' lack of ov…

FWIW, I think focusing on healthcare was the right strategy. It apparently worked for the election! (Too bad the Democratic "leaders" folded immediately; it's as if they're deathly afraid of actually winning.)

The average American voter has the attention span of a goldfish. (Or at least, those who matter do; everyone else has already made up their mind and won't switch.) You won't get them by talking about constitutional limits of the executive branch, Trump ignoring congressional oversight, and such. Remember that there are people who googled "did biden drop out" on Nov 5, 2024.

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#13

Post by nradov »

AnimalMuppet wrote: post #8
jalapenos wrote: post #2

Correct me if wrong, but this looks like a severe own-goal for the democrats? A long shutdown to try and force something - as a minority party, using the senate 60 vote threshold quirk, that they didn't get?

Well, they painted the Republicans as "the people who wouldn't stop your medical insurance from becoming unaffordable". If Congress fails to extend the subsidy, that's going to be very painful for a lot of people, and politically, the blame will fall on the Republicans. That could be a major win for the Democrats when 2026 rolls around.

I support subsidies to help low-income citizens who legitimately can't afford health insurance, but some of the temporary ACA subsidies passed in 2021 were ridiculous. They were handing out cash to early retirees as young as age 55 with incomes over 400% of the poverty line.

https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/17/aca-enhanced-subsidy-lapse-g...

I don't want my tax dollars wasted on subsidizing them. Give the money to someone who actually needs it.

(Of course the real problem is healthcare costs accelerating out of control. Insurance subsidies won't fix that problem. In fact they make it worse by encouraging healthcare providers and drug companies to raise prices even faster.)

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#14

Post by mothballed »

Buried in this bill was also a destruction of the hemp industry as we know it. Cannabanoids now measured with all THC analogs, and max 0.4mg THC per package which is essentially impossible without chemical refinement of the flower.

Congress nuked a multi billion dollar industry, and hardly anyone was asking for it other than a few prohibitionists and weed stock owners who felt the hemp market a threat to their non-hemp cannabis fiefdom. A complete curveball that will likely produce a 10k+ impact on employment.

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#15

Post by fakedang »

mindslight wrote: post #9
jalapenos wrote: post #2

Correct me if wrong, but this looks like a severe own-goal for the democrats? A long shutdown to try and force something - as a minority party, using the senate 60 vote threshold quirk, that they didn't get?

The Democratic establishment is particularly adept at own-goals, unfortunately. It feels like Congressional Democrats got one whiff of a "blue wave" from the elections, and we're right back to 2024 or 2016 where they think they can just phone it in with milquetoast compromise and people will "have to" show up and vote Democrat. Choosing to focus on healthcare subsidies instead of Congressional Republicans' lack of ov…

Democrats aren't playing to win. They're gunning to lose. Why? Because that's how they make money from corporate donors. Losing means they can point fingers at Republicans and seek money. Winning though means that they have to actually execute their lofty and ambitious campaign plans, which are often at odds with their corporate overlords.

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#16

Post by decimalenough »

mothballed wrote: post #14

Buried in this bill was also a destruction of the hemp industry as we know it. Cannabanoids now measured with all THC analogs, and max 0.4mg THC per package which is essentially impossible without chemical refinement of the flower. Congress nuked a multi billion dollar industry, and hardly anyone was asking for it other than a few prohibitionists and weed stock owners who felt the hemp market a threat to their non-he…

Cannabis is already/still illegal on the federal level and that hasn't stopped states from doing their own thing. Why would this particular bill make a difference?

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#17

Post by jalapenos »

bediger4000 wrote: post #4
infamouscow wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is correct. The Democrats are in a new world. They've lost a cultural and information hegemony they had for 40 years, and thus, the playbook of the past doesn't work (for a variety of reasons).

The 48 years from 1932 to 1980, maybe. The US has been decidedly conservative since Reagan. SCOTUS hasn't been liberal since Nixon got Rehnquist as chief justice.

The US is conservative? Are we talking about the same place that's been the social justice woke ideology fountainhead since forever?

The one where a man can one day declare he's now a woman because he say's so - and that'll get him on the cover of a magazine as a "hero"?

What's your starting point for left - Mao?

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#18

Post by kingstnap »

decimalenough wrote: post #16
mothballed wrote: post #14

Buried in this bill was also a destruction of the hemp industry as we know it. Cannabanoids now measured with all THC analogs, and max 0.4mg THC per package which is essentially impossible without chemical refinement of the flower. Congress nuked a multi billion dollar industry, and hardly anyone was asking for it other than a few prohibitionists and weed stock owners who felt the hemp market a threat to their non-he…

Cannabis is already/still illegal on the federal level and that hasn't stopped states from doing their own thing. Why would this particular bill make a difference?

I had no idea so I asked grok (useful for recent news). It seems to be a combination of factors including what is measured being broadened and limits reduced to outlaw cannabinoid extracts.

https://grok.com/share/bGVnYWN5_ade36dbd-155a-4984-9ea3-662d...

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#19

Post by cosmicgadget »

jalapenos wrote: post #17
bediger4000 wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The 48 years from 1932 to 1980, maybe. The US has been decidedly conservative since Reagan. SCOTUS hasn't been liberal since Nixon got Rehnquist as chief justice.

The US is conservative? Are we talking about the same place that's been the social justice woke ideology fountainhead since forever? The one where a man can one day declare he's now a woman because he say's so - and that'll get him on the cover of a magazine as a "hero"? What's your starting point for left - Mao?

Wouldn't self-determination of individuals and magazines be at home both with progressives and libertarians?

Re: US House approves bill to end longest government shutdown in history

#20

Post by jalapenos »

cosmicgadget wrote: post #19
jalapenos wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The US is conservative? Are we talking about the same place that's been the social justice woke ideology fountainhead since forever? The one where a man can one day declare he's now a woman because he say's so - and that'll get him on the cover of a magazine as a "hero"? What's your starting point for left - Mao?

Wouldn't self-determination of individuals and magazines be at home both with progressives and libertarians?

I mean it'd be at home with lunatic asylums too depending on what you self-determine but yeah sure
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