The problem with the latest federal shutdown, at the close of its ninth day at the time of writing and more futile by the day, is the timing.
Sen. Angus King, whose vote on the Republicans’ temporary funding bill was being very closely eyed by his colleagues, told this newspaper that President Trump’s recent actions, in particular, made the stakes too high to allow the shutdown to continue.
King is right, here. Calling the shutdown “unnecessary and harmful” last week, Sen. Susan Collins noted that its consequences would continue to worsen over time. Both were right to vote for the stopgap bill that would have ended the shutdown Wednesday; it failed nonetheless.
If the pain and harm pointed out by Sen. Collins isn’t enough to persuade lawmakers to reach agreement at this nationally sensitive moment, you’d think the tension of the times advanced by Sen. King might have some bearing on voting to reopen. Sadly, it might be that high political tension that continues to reign supreme.
Faced with a very productive and impulsive Trump administration, getting back to work seems imperative. The fate of Affordable Care Act subsidies, the policy goal with which Senate Democrats kicked off the fight for, is something that, while alarming, can be clearly defined. The knock-on effects of a days- or weeks-long shutdown are sprawling and all but unquantifiable.
Writing in these pages last week, Jonathan Meserve, a doctor based in Falmouth, connected the dots for interested readers.
“The passage of the “big, beautiful bill” by Congress and the subsequent government shutdown is a stark reminder of how rushed legislation can have devastating unintended consequences both nationally and especially for us here in Maine,” he wrote.
“Do not be fooled by political spinning. Our government has shut down due to its own lack of empathy for its citizens’ health — putting short-sighted gains for the wealthy at the
expense of the middle and lower class.”
That this shutdown is the result of an attempt to restore subsidies that are critical to Americans’ ability to afford health insurance is particularly hard to swallow. A decision has been made, by a majority of voters, to inflict pain now in order to defend against pain in the future.
We may have been talking about access to parks and whether or not things were running smoothly at Portland International Jetport last week, but if this is the nature of the bargaining, the dysfunction of the political moment, the economic, civic and social damage will very soon become way more pronounced, more scarring.
Whether or not agreement is reached between now and press time, this shutdown “feels different,” as analysts have repeatedly said, because it is different; yes, the standoff is about policy — it is also about the appropriations process, and the president’s respect or disrespect for that process, as a whole.
It’s a lamentable power struggle in response to a crisis of disempowerment and distrust. The damage it will do to American confidence in government and public institutions — already knocked — probably can’t be overstated.
Economically, the country is in a very precarious position; by many measures, a recession in 2026 is not a far-fetched outcome of a prolonged shutdown.
Politically, it would be immensely helpful if those leading the government could lead by example. Instead, a blame game is being played by people who still believe they can benefit from it, politically. It should end; it should have ended long ago. Seven consecutive failures of voting is a dismal outcome and a failure of negotiation, imagination and, above all, of common sense.
Shortsighted policies brought us to this point. Shortsighted politics shouldn’t keep us here.
We invite you to add your comments. We encourage a thoughtful exchange of ideas and information on this website. By joining the conversation, you are agreeing to our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is found on our FAQs. You can modify your screen name here.
Comments are managed by our staff during regular business hours Monday through Friday as well as limited hours on Saturday and Sunday. Comments held for moderation outside of those hours may take longer to approve.
Join the Conversation
Please sign into your CentralMaine.com account to participate in conversations below. If you do not have an account, you can register or subscribe. Questions? Please see our FAQs.