Amy Walter & Tamara Keith on the Government Shutdown Deal and Political Shifts

Deal to End Government Shutdown

• 🤝 A deal was struck to end the longest-ever U.S. government shutdown, with seven Democrats and one independent joining Republicans.
• ⚠️ The Democrats who signed onto the deal are either retiring or do not face an election in the coming year, suggesting they felt they could take a political risk.
• ⚡ The immediate and strong reaction from the rest of the Democratic party highlights a sense of disarray, with many questioning what was gained from the compromise.

Shifting Democratic Party Stance

• 📊 Polls indicate a significant shift in the Democratic party's approach to compromise with Donald Trump.
• 📉 In Trump's first term, most Democrats favored compromise; by 2025, a majority believe Democrats should fight on principle regardless of the administration.
• 🧠 This shift signifies a party less inclined to give the current administration the benefit of the doubt and more eager for confrontation.

Affordability as a Key Political Issue

• 📌 Democrats aimed to use the shutdown and the issue of affordability, particularly concerning healthcare costs, as a political cudgel against the president.
• 📈 The shutdown occurred during the start of open enrollment, highlighting potential cost increases for health plans without subsidies, which Democrats sought to capitalize on.
• 🗣️ President Trump has significantly increased his focus on