Democrats Get Nothing

An entirely predictable end to the longest shutdown in history.

I posted this piece last night for Political Wire members, but I wanted to share it more widely with Politics Extra readers.

---

But first a message from our partner:

Personal Information Removal Made Easy

Every day, marketers, data brokers, and even cybercriminals trade and exploit personal data—everything from your home address to your cell phone number. That’s why I use Incogni, which works quietly in the background to make my personal information hard to find online.

It removes my data from hundreds of databases used by advertisers, scammers, and identity thieves, reducing the chances of targeted phishing attacks or fraud.

The process is completely automated, and it gives me real peace of mind to know my personal information is being scrubbed from the internet. I highly recommend it.

Try Incogni here and get 55% off your subscription with code POLITICALWIRE.

---

Senators have finally reached a deal to end the government shutdown, with negotiators saying they have “more than enough” Democratic votes to move the agreement forward.

In exchange for reopening the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune promised Democrats a vote in December to extend key Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.

But the House has yet to commit to holding its own vote — and there’s no guarantee it ever will.

More than a month ago, I wrote that this shutdown would likely end when Democrats agreed to fund the government in exchange for a vague promise that Republicans would “later discuss” Obamacare subsidies.

That’s exactly what happened.

In the meantime, the costs were enormous. Federal workers went without pay for more than a month. Over 40 million Americans saw their food assistance disrupted. Thousands of airline flights were canceled.

It was all very predictable. History shows the side that uses shutdowns as leverage never wins.

There have been four major shutdowns in the modern era. In each, the party driving the confrontation lost the political battle. No one has ever engineered a strategic shutdown and emerged stronger.

---

If you’re not already a Political Wire member, get 20% off your first year using the coupon code “shutdown.”

Here’s a quick reminder of everything you’ll get with a Political Wire membership:

• Exclusive political analysis from me and trusted experts.

• A real-time trending news page updated 24/7.

• A clean, ad-free browsing experience of the main news feed.

• The Weekly News Quiz.

• The members-only Trial Balloon podcast.

• Two premium newsletters: Inside Elections and Ballot Access News -- a $267 value.

• The Political Calendar, which is fully syncable with your personal calendar.

Thank you for reading — and supporting independent media!