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Senate Democrats Vote for the 14th Time to Keep the Government Shut Down

Authored by Peter Feaman

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Today, the United States Senate failed for the 14th time to advance a continuing resolution that would reopen the federal government — a vote that all but ensures the shutdown now becomes the longest in U.S. history. (CBS News)


Why is this happening?

According to the public record, Senate Democrats are refusing to support a “clean” spending bill passed by the United States House of Representatives that would fund the government into November. (ABC News) They say they disagree with certain policy elements of the bill — namely, that it lacks provisions important to them. From the House Republicans’ perspective, that amounts to using the shutdown as leverage. A recent House Republican press release accused Senate Democrats of “holding the government hostage” over their “radical wish list.” (Republican Study Committee)

In short: Democrats are effectively voting to keep the government shut down because they do not like the policy contents of the funding bill.


Is this unprecedented?

In the words of former President Barack Obama:

“No Congress before this one has ever, ever, in history, been irresponsible enough to threaten default, to threaten an economic shutdown, to suggest America not pay its bills just to try to blackmail a president into giving them some concessions.”

Yet today, by repeatedly voting to block funding, Senate Democrats are doing exactly that.


Why this matters

  • A prolonged government shutdown — now guaranteed by today’s vote — has real economic and social consequences: furloughed federal workers, delayed agency actions, missed benefits and compounding uncertainty.

  • Politically, it’s a stark display of what happens when one party refuses to approve even “clean” funding legislation unless its policy demands are satisfied.

  • The question then is: who is responsible, and who stands to lose the most — the American people or the political agenda?


A breakdown of the narrative

1. The bill. The House passed a continuing resolution to fund the government until November 21. The Senate was asked to advance this measure. (ABC News) 2. The vote. The Senate voted 54-44 against advancing the bill, not quite reaching the 60 votes required. (CBS News) 3. The 14th failure. This marks the 14th time Senate Democrats (or the Democratic caucus) have blocked such a vote since the shutdown began. (Fox News) 4. The rationale. Democrats argue they want amendments to the legislation — reflecting policies they support — rather than a “clean” continuing resolution. Republicans argue that delaying the funding is unacceptable. 5. The fallout. Because the Senate won’t pass the bill, the shutdown is all but locked in to break records and broaden its effects. (Fox News)


My assessment

This is not simply a stalemate. It is a power play: one side refuses to fund the government unless policy concessions are made. That tactic undermines the principle of government functioning unless one party gets its way. It is shameless, it is despicable, and it is clearly undemocratic when the choice to continue basic government operations becomes hostage to partisan policy demands.

The American people should now see, once and for all, who is willing to hold the government — and with it everyday Americans — hostage. Let’s call it what it is: the true face of political fascism, dressed up in the language of progress. As Hillary Clinton once asked about who the “deplorables” really are — perhaps the question today is: who are the real hostages, and who are the hostage-takers?


Final word

We cannot let this stand. Government funding is not a bargaining chip for policy agenda games. The fundamental promise of governance should be: pay our debts, fund our people, and keep our government working — regardless of side-bargaining. Today, Senate Democrats flipped that script. And the American people deserve better.




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