1A 'If You Can Keep It': The Fight Over Funding The Government
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Sep 22, 2025 Megan Scully, Congress editor for Bloomberg News, dives into the legislative machinations behind government funding and the looming shutdown risks. Joel Payne, Chief Communications Officer at MoveOn, discusses progressive strategies for Democrats to navigate this political storm. Brian Boitler, founder of Off Message, offers insights on messaging and maintaining caucus unity. They explore implications for services and employees, debate leverage options, and analyze how Democrats can effectively negotiate amid a chaotic funding landscape.
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Absence Raises Shutdown Risk
- Congress leaving town increases the chance of a shutdown by compressing negotiation time.
- Megan Scully warns the Senate's slow pace makes averting a shutdown within days difficult.
Democrats' Leverage On Appropriations
- Democrats can exert leverage on spending because Republicans need Democratic votes in the Senate.
- Megan Scully explains this gives Democrats meaningful bargaining power on appropriations.
ACA Subsidies Are A Time-Sensitive Leverage Point
- Biden-era ACA premium subsidies expire and will spike premiums starting November 1st.
- Democrats view preventing those premium hikes as a core, winnable issue.