Why did Democrats fight so long — before caving?

WHY DID DEMOCRATS FIGHT SO LONG — BEFORE CAVING? The government shutdown lasted 40 days before Senate Democrats abandoned the filibuster that closed offices, left workers without paychecks, threatened supplemental food benefits for millions, began a gradual shutdown of the commercial aviation system, and much more. The question is: Why did those Democrats hold out for so long? Why did they stubbornly play a losing hand even as millions of people suffered?

The short answer: because Obamacare was at stake. The Affordable Care Act is the Democratic Party‘s premier policy achievement of the last half-century, and it is gradually sinking beneath rising costs, making “affordable” health coverage increasingly unaffordable. Without more taxpayer-funded subsidies for recipients, fewer and fewer people will be able to purchase coverage that Democrats once promised would be within everyone’s reach.

 

The shutdown fight is over. Democrats lost. Why did they hang on so long -- before caving? *****Q9tdKVcQmd

— Byron York (@ByronYork) November 10, 2025