OK, enough of the DC pissing contest, it's time for good government, where are the adults? (Poll)

[Concerned American]

Just saying no, "its my way or the highway" doesn't solve the problem.

SMH. There is a CLEAN CR available to continue negotiations! The funding has been made. This "my way or the highway" garbage is coming from the left prematurely. They are WASTING valuable negotiating time while trying to get into the news cycle.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

Social security is so easily fixable by investing 80% of the "Trust Fund" into US equities

It'd be more fixable if savings from DOGE were transferred.

It's ridiculous, government wastes literally billions on nonsense but Americans social security is at risk?

 

[Blaster]

Don't care one way or the other.

 

[JWBooth]

OK, enough of the DC pissing contest, it's time for good government, where are the adults?​

I see it as nothing more than kabuki theater.
I’ll believe it is a real shutdown when nobody shows up for work or gets paid at the pentagram, all the alphabet soup agencies and departments, and government checks stop getting printed.
On that day I shall cheer and drink a toast to the lockdown.

 

[berg80]

The Federal government shutdown has been going on for more than a week with no end in sight.
Republicans say pass the "clean CR", period.
Democrats say "put back the $1.5T of spending that was cut by the BBB, including restoring the ACA subsidies", period.

AI Overview

If the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced subsidies are not renewed, the federal government would see long-term savings on subsidies but lose revenue as health providers experience over $32 billion in lost revenue and a $7.7 billion rise in uncompensated care in 2026 alone. Millions of Americans would also face substantially higher insurance premiums, with some potentially seeing their costs double or more, and could lose health coverage altogether.

 

[Darkwind]

They should be in chambers and committees right now working on these:

The 12 Congressional Appropriations Bills​

Congress uses 12 regular appropriations bills to fund discretionary government spending each fiscal year, which runs from October 1 to September 30. These bills are developed by matching subcommittees in both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, with each subcommittee responsible for crafting one annual spending bill.econofact+4

The 12 appropriations bills are:

1. Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies
Oversees funding for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (except the Forest Service), rural development programs, and the FDA.wikipedia+1

2. Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Covers the Department of Commerce, Department of Justice, NASA, and related science agencies.appropriations+1

3. Defense
Funds military operations, the intelligence community, and national defense-related agencies.wikipedia+1

4. Energy and Water Development
Provides funding for the Department of Energy, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and related water development projects.appropriations+1

5. Financial Services and General Government
Oversees the Department of the Treasury, Executive Office of the President, federal courts, and general government operations.wikipedia+2

6. Homeland Security
Funds the Department of Homeland Security and its various agencies.wikipedia+1

7. Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies
Covers the Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency, U.S. Forest Service, and independent agencies.appropriations+1

8. Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
The largest appropriations bill, funding the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.wikipedia+1

9. Legislative Branch
Provides funding for Congress itself and related legislative functions.wikipedia+1

10. Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies
Covers military construction projects and the Department of Veterans Affairs.wikipedia+1

11. State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs
Funds the State Department and foreign aid programs.wikipedia+1

12. Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies
Oversees the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development.wikipedia+1

The Current Reality​

While Congress is supposed to pass all 12 bills by October 1 each year, this rarely happens in practice. Since 1996, Congress has never passed more than five of its 12 regular appropriations bills on time. In 13 of the past 15 fiscal years, lawmakers have not passed a single spending bill by October 1.pewresearch

Instead, Congress regularly relies on continuing resolutions (CRs) to provide temporary funding and avoid government shutdowns. When final agreements are reached, the bills are often combined into large "omnibus" packages rather than being passed individually. This pattern has led to an average of 117 days between the start of each fiscal year and the final spending bill becoming law.pgpf+2

The appropriations process has become increasingly challenging, with Congress having enacted 61 continuing resolutions since 2010 alone. This difficulty in completing the regular appropriations process on time has made government shutdown threats and last-minute funding deals a recurring feature of federal budgeting.econofact

1. Can We Put a Stop to the Recurrent Threat of Government Shutdowns? (Updated) | Econofact
2. Congress has long struggled to pass spending bills on time
3. Appropriations bill (United States) - Wikipedia
4. United States House Committee on Appropriations - Wikipedia
5. Supplemental Appropriations - Appropriations
6. What Is a Continuing Resolution?
7. https://thehill.com/opinion/congress-blog/5543604-government-shutdown-continuing-resolutions/
8. Federal Budgeting and Appropriations Process
9. Continuing resolution - Wikipedia
10. A Brief Guide to the Federal Budget and Appropriations Process
11. The Federal Budget Process Fact Sheet - National Volunteer Fire Council
12. What You Need to Know About Continuing Resolutions | Bipartisan Policy Center
13. The federal budget process | USAGov
14. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R46595
15. United States budget process - Wikipedia
16. What a Continuing Resolution Means for Appropriations Strategy
17. Policy Backgrounder: Government Funding: Congress Considers Short-Term Deal
18. https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47235
19. https://tfx.treasury.gov/taxonomy/term/10377
20. https://www.naco.org/resource/2026-appropriations-tracker
21. https://www.cbpp.org/research/federal-budget/introduction-to-the-federal-budget-process
22. https://www.congress.gov/crs-appropriations-status-table
23. https://www.crfb.org/blogs/appropriations-watch-fy-2026
24. https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4016
25. https://simpson.house.gov/appropriations/12appropriationssubcommittees.htm
26. https://www.politico.com/live-updat...d-bill-to-pay-troops-during-shutdown-00599473
27. https://www.crfb.org/papers/appropriations-101
28. https://www.hklaw.com/en/insights/publications/2025/09/government-shutdown-advisory
29. https://www.crfb.org/blogs/appropriations-watch-fy-2025
30. https://usafacts.org/articles/what-are-appropriations-bills-and-how-are-they-approved/
31. https://www.congress.gov/crs-appropriations-status-table/2023
32. https://guides.loc.gov/legislative-history/appropriations-and-omnibus-legislation
33. https://www.americanimmigrationcoun...ew-government-funding-process-appropriations/

 

[Concerned American]

It'd be more fixable if savings from DOGE were transferred.

It's ridiculous, government wastes literally billions on nonsense but Americans social security is at risk?

As a SS recipient, I'll probably catch hell for this post, but the bottom line is WHEN THE MONEY IS GONE, IT'S GONE. When I have no money in my personal bank account, I have three options---loans until no one will loan to me anymore OR get a job and survive OR go without. Those are the cold hard facts of life. The government owes you nothing. If this program is unsalvageable, get rid of it. People need to start taking personal responsibility.

 

[Concerned American]

AI Overview

If the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced subsidies are not renewed, the federal government would see long-term savings on subsidies but lose revenue as health providers experience over $32 billion in lost revenue and a $7.7 billion rise in uncompensated care in 2026 alone. Millions of Americans would also face substantially higher insurance premiums, with some potentially seeing their costs double or more, and could lose health coverage altogether.

There is NO FREE LUNCH.

 

[SassyIrishLass]

As a SS recipient, I'll probably catch hell for this post, but the bottom line is WHEN THE MONEY IS GONE, IT'S GONE. When I have no money in my personal bank account, I have three options---loans until no one will loan to me anymore OR get a job and survive OR go without. Those are the cold hard facts of life. The government owes you nothing. If this program is unsalvageable, get rid of it. People need to start taking personal responsibility.

You paid into it. The government shouldn't have taken your money on the premise of a return

 

[Invisibleflash]

The Federal government shutdown has been going on for more than a week with no end in sight.
Republicans say pass the "clean CR", period.
Democrats say "put back the $1.5T of spending that was cut by the BBB, including restoring the ACA subsidies", period.

The problem is that we have too many lawyers and not enough "genius" in congress, we need "Problem Solvers", not "ideologues".

If congress was working in private industry there would be no shutdown, that wastes money, a deal would have been cut already, "one way or another".

Republicans are the majority, they need to push for a solution to end the shutdown:
1. Go nuclear and say "CRs only need 51 votes". A very wimpy solution, it just guarantees more CRs
2. Go nuclear for CRs, Appropriations, and Rescission Bills. A less wimpy solution, but it may bite them in the ass in the future.
3. Publish a proposed deal, let the MSM grade it, and dare the democrats to walk away.
Go for a "WIN-WIN Grand Bargain" that solves several of the major problems, Republicans should put these on the table:
a) Fix Social Security by raising the cap and adding 2-years to the early & full retirement ages
b) Fix Medicare (going bankrupt)
c) Give the ACA subsidy at 50% of the current Covid subsidy (half a loaf)
d) Pay for the subsidy by raising the top tax rate to 40%, Trump agrees, it helps balance the budget.
e) Appropriations Bills and CRs only need 51 votes to pass. (solves future unnecessary shutdowns)


If the democrats don't put up a suitable counter offer, just go with option #2. End the shutdown now.

https://www.cnn.com/politics/live-news/government-shutdown-news-10-09-25

Stand-off continues more than a week into the government shutdown​

Didn't vote, don't know what it all means.

I do know America is gone no mater rep or dem.

 

[Concerned American]

You paid into it. The government shouldn't have taken your money on the premise of a return

Agreed, However, it is showing to be a failed program. Perpetuating it just makes the pain of its demise greater down the road. I believe the better way is to recognize the failure and do away with it and find something better or just get rid of the morons that haven't got the imagination to find something that works. WTF are we paying these self-serving politicians for incompetence.

 

[kyzr]

I see how this would help for the present. But I would not call it a fix. More like kicking the can down the road, or perhaps kicking the snowball down the hill. The problem will get bigger. As life expectancy grows, so will the top-heaviness of the system.

My first goal is to get SS past the baby-boomers. Currently the SS insolvent date is 2035, after that money out equals money in or recipients get about 77% of promised benefits. Not a disaster, but a default. The next hurdle will be the millenniums, they can fix SS again in the future, as it has been fixed many times before.

Social Security is at heart a pyramid scheme, and this will delay the collapse, not prevent it. Perhaps it will delay it past our lifetimes and even our children's lifetimes. Thus fulfilling Keenes' promise that "In the long run, we're all dead.".

SS is NOT a pyramid scheme it has worked fine since 1935, even if demographics requires occasional "fixes". One long term replacement/enhancement scheme mentioned was to open an investment account for every newborn and put in $1,000 so that it could grow over their lifetime.

I think we should do what you suggest, assuming you mean to grandfather in people in a certain age group so they are not told days before becoming eligible that they have to wait two more years. But we should recognize that it is a stopgap, and we should plan for the next approach of critical mass (or whatever it is called).

Yes, people would need to be" phased" into the changes, and yes, the SS Trustees need to keep congress appraised on the "insolvent date" so that SS can be continued well into the future.

 

[Seymour Flops]

Social security is so easily fixable by investing 80% of the "Trust Fund" into US equities

I think there is a lot of truth in that.

 

[kyzr]

SMH. There is a CLEAN CR available to continue negotiations! The funding has been made. This "my way or the highway" garbage is coming from the left prematurely. They are WASTING valuable negotiating time while trying to get into the news cycle.

True, but I don't see Republicans negotiating, or making a counter offer. Both sides refuse to budge. That is irresponsible.

 

[Concerned American]

True, but I don't see Republicans negotiating, or making a counter offer.

THE GOV'T IS SHUT DOWN! There is only WHINING happening. Simply passing the CR will allow negotiations to continue. They aren't even looking at the budget.

 

[kyzr]

AI Overview
If the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced subsidies are not renewed, the federal government would see long-term savings on subsidies but lose revenue as health providers experience over $32 billion in lost revenue and a $7.7 billion rise in uncompensated care in 2026 alone. Millions of Americans would also face substantially higher insurance premiums, with some potentially seeing their costs double or more, and could lose health coverage altogether.

Thank you for making my point in the OP.

There are many topics to negotiate. I did not think private healthcare providers would be affected by the ACA, since the premiums would just be returning to the "pre-Covid" levels. I might call "bullshit" since the premiums they receive are the same, its just being paid 100% by the subscribers instead of subsidized by the government.

But the point you make is a good one, congress should be negotiating, in public to get problems solved.

 

[hadit]

That is the point of the OP. The democrats put up a demand, Republicans need to make a counter offer.
Just saying no, "its my way or the highway" doesn't solve the problem.

They have put up a counteroffer. They put up a clean bill that would keep everything as is so they can wrangle out a compromise that can be passed. The democrats are refusing to play ball.

 

[Concerned American]

They have put up a counteroffer. They put up a clean bill that would keep everything as is so they can wrangle out a compromise that can be passed. The democrats are refusing to play ball.

BINGO! DING DING DING! WE HAVE A WINNER!

 

[kyzr]

THE GOV'T IS SHUT DOWN! There is only WHINING happening. Simply passing the CR will allow negotiations to continue. They aren't even looking at the budget.

The House isn't even in session.
Thune can go nuclear for the CR, but that solves nothing, democrats need to be brought to the table for serious negotiations.

 

[kyzr]

They have put up a counteroffer. They put up a clean bill that would keep everything as is so they can wrangle out a compromise that can be passed. The democrats are refusing to play ball.

Nope. There was no counter offer by the Republicans. Mikey put up a "clean CR" and insisted that democrats pass it.
The democrats said "NO", not unless you put back the $1.5T you cut...here we sit 9-days later. No counter offer.

We both know that there would be no "wrangling" after a CR, there would be just another CR, then another CR...