How Does This Shutdown End? Platner Covers His Nazi Tattoo. Vance Cools Down Netanyahu.

The Shutdown Grinds On

We’re past the three-week mark in this shutdown, and there’s still no clear path to a resolution. Some Republicans are floating continuing resolutions that could run as far out as December 2026 — essentially punting this whole process beyond the midterms. I don’t think that’s going to happen, and frankly, it shouldn’t. You can’t run out the clock like that and expect no consequences, and Congress knows that. The more likely end date that’s being tossed around is January, giving everyone time to escape the holiday crush without having to pass a full budget. And even then, I’m not sure that’s particularly likely either.

The Senate’s bipartisan gang effort has completely stalled. Trust is gone. The usual suspects — Coons, Murkowski — are all saying this just doesn’t feel like the old days where you could at least get in a room and try to hash it out. The COVID-era ACA subsidies are the big sticking point: Democrats want to include them in any reopening deal, while Republicans are demanding a clean resolution first. So now everyone’s sitting around waiting for leadership to do something.