The Spire

Jake Ruderman ’26

Opinions Editor

Last November’s 2024 elections saw landslide wins for Republican candidates across the board. Americans voted to return President Donald Trump to the Oval Office for his second term, while ensuring Republicans maintained their control of the House of Representatives, while flipping the Senate back to a right-wing majority. With a stacked, right-leaning Supreme Court already in their pocket, the GOP looked primed to enact a slew of right-wing legislation with all three branches of government entirely under their control. But a year later, Republicans don’t have much to show for their efforts; the government remains shut down for its third consecutive week, while only the Big Beautiful Bill stands out as substantial legislation passed so far in Trump’s second term. So, why hasn’t more been accomplished? Why do Republicans still insist that the shutdown is the fault of the Democrats, despite them holding none of the cards in the negotiations? Are we sure that Republicans know they hold the majority in every single branch of government?

Let’s start with the ongoing government shutdown. To recap, the shutdown started on October 1, when last year’s federal budget spending bill expired. Republicans, who traditionally would need to meet the 60-vote threshold to pass a Continuing Resolution in the Senate, insist that Democrats are the true villains behind the shutdown, even though Trump has previously said that shutdowns should be solely blamed on the President’s failure to lead. Despite his blatant hypocrisy and rampant vilification of the Democratic party’s failure to compromise, the question does remain: why are Democrats refusing to re-open the government? 

The easy answer is that Democrats are fighting to extend and protect Obamacare’s tax credits, which directly lower insurance premiums for everyday Americans. Their extension is set to expire at the end of 2025, which would cause insurance premiums to soar next year. Republicans have refused to negotiate on the issue until the government is reopened. Hence, the stalemate. 

The longer reason for the shutdown, however, is that Democrats have essentially been powerless at the hands of an administration focused on centralizing power in the executive, while stripping the government’s other branches of their long-held powers. The ability to declare war and the ability to enact tariffs have long been controlled by Congress, until Republicans allowed Trump to assume both responsibilities. The ability to deploy a state’s National Guard has long been the decision of a state’s governor, until Republicans have supported Trump’s forced deployment of the national guard. As a result, Democrats have found themselves even more powerless than a typical minority party, and have received heavy criticism from their leftist constituents for not standing up to the administration more. This is why Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have finally dug their heels in and are refusing to back down. So, how will this get resolved?

Despite Republicans’ baseless claims that the shutdown is the result of Democrats’ unwillingness to negotiate, the real fault of the matter lies in their refusal to abide by their word. Democrats aren’t willing to trust Republicans’ promises that ACA tax credits will be handled once the government is open, because Republicans have taken advantage of Democrats’ naivety in the past. Just this past summer, Republicans passed a package of rescissions of previously approved federal spending after assuring Democrats that they wouldn’t claw back money that had already been legally allocated. It should also go without saying that Trump’s second administration has taken advantage of Democrats’ faith in the system and unwillingness to play dirty at every turn; a Washington Post analysis from the summer found that Trump’s admin had refused to comply with 57 court rulings, or ~35% of all rulings against them—a mark which has only increased in the months since.

So, Dems have no basis on which to trust Republicans, and would face deafening criticism from their constituents if they caved to the Trump admin again. Could Republicans force their hand? Some seem to think so. Far-right representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene has encouraged Senate Republicans to use a ‘nuclear option,’ eliminating the filibuster and bringing down the number of required votes to a simple majority. While some conservatives agree with her, most have ignored her suggestion. But how come? Why wouldn’t Republicans want to reopen the government? 

To the same point, why haven’t Republicans used their majority to pass more legislation during this past year? They undoubtedly know that parties in power almost always lose their Congressional advantage in the midterms, so why haven’t they tried to get more done?

I believe that the answer to both questions is quite simple: they don’t want to! Trump has forcibly shifted Republicans’ mindsets away from caring for their constituents and towards playing dirty politics. His logic is correct: solve the problems plaguing the country, and struggle to get voter turnout, or prolong the problems, and continue to blame them on the opposition, and you inspire citizens to vote out of fear—a much surer incentive than success. 

This is why the GOP hasn’t passed any legislation on its hot-button issues. What about a comprehensive immigration reform bill? What about further entrenching protections for gun owners? Outlawing abortion? Outlawing DEI programs? Dismantling the Department of Education? Ending birthright citizenship? Banning trans athletes? Ensuring tips and overtime aren’t taxed? You get the point. 

Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and many other prominent GOP politicians know that fear and blame drive voter turnout far more than policy successes. They’re playing the short game of limiting midterm damage, instead of the long game of enacting sweeping right-wing legislation. A vast majority of the executive orders Trump has signed can be undone in the early days of the next Democratic administration. But laws? Actual legislation passed by Congress? They’re far more challenging to strike down. 

So, Trump and Republicans will continue to wax poetic on the laundry list of issues plaguing our country (which are all, coincidentally, caused by Democrats) instead of actually legislating while they have the majority. And the government will remain shut down until one side caves in their game of chicken. And Democrats will continue fighting to keep their heads above water in the most authoritarian administration in our country’s history. Isn’t politics the best?

Featured image courtesy of Public Discourse