Start Here Washington Hurtles Toward a Shutdown
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Sep 30, 2025 In this discussion, Ann Flaherty, an ABC senior national reporter covering Pentagon insights, shares her expertise on the looming government shutdown and its potential impacts. She elaborates on Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's unusual convening of military generals, raising eyebrows about possible political influences within the armed forces. The conversation also touches on the stress federal workers might face during the shutdown and the dynamics of President Trump's new Gaza peace proposal, stirring skepticism and considerations of regional stability.
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Shutdowns Are A Recurring Strategic Tool
- Congress repeatedly uses short-term stopgap funding, making shutdown threats routine and damaging.
- Senate arithmetic forces cross-party deals, turning funding fights into leverage for policy demands.
Healthcare Is Democrats' Leverage
- Democrats demand reversing large Medicaid cuts and extending ACA subsidies as conditions to fund the government.
- That gambles political risk: health cost rises could shift voter anger to Republicans instead of Democrats.
Military Family Fear Over Pay
- Rachel Scott relayed a military spouse's worry about missing pay during a shutdown and questions about back pay timing.
- The White House is also preparing plans to eliminate some jobs rather than furlough them after a shutdown.