As we previously reported, we are one full week into the Schumer Shutdown, with Democrats flashing the "blame Trump" card to try and absolve themselves of their very prominent role in shutting the government down and keeping it shut down.
The sticking point for Senate Democrats, of course, is an insistence on taxpayer-funded health insurance for illegal immigrants, something they falsely claim is not something the federal government funds. There is also the issue of extending the "extra" Obamacare tax subsidies beyond the end of 2025, when they are set to expire.
Democrats are openly calling for this and say they won't budge until they get a firm agreement from Republican Congressional leaders and President Trump that the more "generous" version put in place in 2021 during the COVID pandemic will be extended.
"If President Trump and Republicans are finally ready to sit down and get something done in healthcare for American families, Democrats will be there, ready to make it happen," Sen Minority Leader Schumer (D-NY) proclaimed on Monday.
SEE ALSO: Here Come the Pink Slips: Mass Firings and Layoffs Reportedly Imminent in Wake of Schumer Shutdown
As House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) sees it, though, the Obamacare subsidies debate is a different one that can be hashed out separately once Senate Democrats relent over the "clean" continuing resolution the GOP-controlled House sent to the upper chamber on September 19th.
Johnson, in fact, has been tearing into Schumer repeatedly over the last week during daily press conferences, where he repeatedly reminds the media that this shutdown was brought on by the same guy who, seven months ago - when explaining his vote for the CR, said a government shutdown was bad for America:
"They HATE Donald Trump! They have Trump Derangement Syndrome! It's very real!"
🔥WOAH: Speaker Mike Johnson just got HEATED about the Schumer Shutdown.
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) October 8, 2025
He even cut himself off and realized how fired up he was.
"I'm sorry. I'm aggravated."
"The people who are supposed to be protected are being completely CHEATED by Democrats in the senate!"
"They HATE… pic.twitter.com/LID9XnB4zm
And from Tuesday:
Chuck Schumer has been in Congress for 44 years. He was first elected to the House in 1981, just for reference. I was nine years old. I was in the third grade when Chuck Schumer came here to Congress. Throughout his entire career, he has been very consistent about the necessity of keeping the government open, until just now. In fact, I want to read to you an excerpt from seven months ago, his floor speech on March 13th, 2025. This is Senator Chuck Schumer in March of this year on the Senate floor. “While the CR bill is very bad, the potential for a shutdown has consequences for America that are much, much worse. I believe it is my job to make the best choice for the country to minimize the harms of the American people. Therefore, I will vote to keep the government open and not shut it down.”
SPEAKER JOHNSON: “Chuck Schumer has been in Congress for 44 years."
— Fox News (@FoxNews) October 7, 2025
"He was first elected to the House in 1981. Just for reference, I was 9 years old. I was in the third grade when Chuck Schumer came here to Congress.” pic.twitter.com/yl8YGiW67I
In this one, Johnson emphasized that the window is closing for the government to be able to pay our troops on time, putting the blame on Schumer and Senate Democrats for any delays that may happen:
The Democrat Government Shutdown is JEOPARDIZING the finances of real
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 7, 2025
American families—including our troops.
If Senate Democrats don’t vote to reopen the government by Monday, service members will miss their October 15th paychecks — and important programs will remain suspended.… pic.twitter.com/tUCSHNQRyw
Johnson has also nailed Senate Democrats, calling them out by name, on the fact that they'll still be getting paid, while our troops, TSA agents, and ATC will not be under the Schumer Shutdown - and that's not all:
Democrats in each of those states—and many other examples we could list—have VOTED FIVE TIMES to keep the government closed. Real Americans are paying the price and it’s getting worse by the hour.
It’s Day 8 of the DEMOCRAT SHUTDOWN.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 8, 2025
- In New York, air travelers are facing safety delays.
- Food banks in Georgia and Colorado are bracing for higher demand.
- Hospitals in New Jersey are putting some care on hold.
Democrats in each of those states—and many other examples… pic.twitter.com/iJqOSkfMWn
We've written before here about how, when shutdowns happen, Republicans usually get blamed for it, whether they are in the minority or the majority. But this time around, the media seems to have done a bit of a turn and, in some cases, are actually holding Democrats' feet to the fire on this stuff - as we saw, for instance, when CNN's Jake Tapper took on House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) over the lie they've told about funding for health insurance for illegals.
I think one reason for this shift is because of the tenacity of Republican leaders like Johnson himself and members of the Trump administration, who have been dropping receipts galore on Democrats as this debate has played out:
Yes, Democrats did shut down the federal government to try to give taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal aliens.
— Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) October 7, 2025
The radical funding proposal put forward by the Democrats would result in nearly $200B in spending on illegal aliens and other non-citizens over the next decade. https://t.co/01dgnMc210 pic.twitter.com/fwRmr4Ei5A
Facts first, and all that.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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