The government shutdown is approaching and as January 31 the last steps

It won’t get any better.

The government shut down for a record 43 days this fall. And if you think you’re going to see the worst of Congress, it actually won’t get any better when most of the federal government shuts down in the wee hours. 31.

That’s right. Lawmakers have faced a number of issues that have resulted in dramatic shutdowns this year. Some of those who pass the law. Some are related to policy. And big political problems.

Actually, politics can be very challenging.

Let’s start with the most obvious ways to stave off Washington’s wintertime disaster.

The shutdown is over, but Washington’s Brawl Brawl is just beginning

Included in the interim agreement to open the government are three bills to fund major parts of the federal government until September 30, 2027 – the end of the current fiscal year. Congress passes three of the 12 federal appropriations bills each year. Those are the official branch of Congress, the military construction/VA military construction programs, and the Department of the Army and Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture. Even if that’s three of the 12 annual spending costs, it’s nowhere near the “Quarter” of all the spending Congress used to spend every year. More than half of all money controlled by the Pentagon goes to the Pentagon alone. So the house and the senate must pass all nine of the remaining annual bills of the year to avoid repetition this fall at 12: 001 on Saturday, January 31.

That’s a tall order. But leading rights groups from both sides of the aisle and both sides of the capitol say there has been documented progress on the bill. However, the reconciliation of more than two months – with Congress now out of state this week and likely to be over Christmas and New Year – strikes some as night. Keep in mind that Congress was not in session in late July and August to deal with some of those same payments. One wonders why anything would happen now.

And we have never come up with great questions that lie in the individual indexes themselves.

Shutdown sparks strategic debate: Will Trump and GOP pay a political price in 2026?

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks at a news conference with other members of the Senate Republican Readshise following Wenneon Leashington, DC on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Poser / Anadolu via Getty Images)

The “Lab Lab Lab-H” bill, which funds the Department of Labor and Health and Human Services is always a political champion. Imagine how difficult that bill will be this time, both parties behind the policies described by the Secretary of Health and Human Rights Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Regarding the health policies of the opposition. That’s to say nothing of the main issue driving Democrats to oppose funding the government in September: the expansion of Obamacare’s health care funding.

Senate Majority Leader John tune, Rs.d., is now promising to vote on extending those tax credits to cover health care premiums. But no one knows what that package will look like. Some Republicans, such as rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-GA., is now accepting funding. Now he retired in January. Some Republicans are looking for ways to reform the system. Democrats might cut back on that. And some conservatives are using this as an opportunity to possibly torpedo Obamacare – the night of their existence since 2009.

That would be good political ambiguity for all. Consider a world where Republicans have tried from 2009 to 2017 to repeal and replace Obamacare — but have stumbled at every turn. Then in 2025, the Democrats refused to vote to support the government in an effort to lift Obamacare – and that ultimately never this program.

Wow.

In addition, President Trump threatens to veto any bill that increases funding for Obamacare.

So we could find ourselves heading into a government shutdown unless the Democrats deploy their tactics this fall.

Much of what we discussed dealt with legal and policy conflicts that lawmakers must resolve before January arrives. But political challenges mitigate those problems.

Consider the CODA of what happened this time. Most Democrats refused to support the government. But a coalition of some Democrats and many Republicans keep the government interested in avoiding another shutdown.

Repeated within the democratic party will be surprising. Expect an epic meltdown about Democrats using another strategy. There will be calls for Ousters of Senate Minor Hounder Chuck Schumer, Dn.Y.Ye leader hakeem jeffries, dn.yy

The government shutdown is the longest in US history as Democrats dig into Obamacare

Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Dn.Y., speaks after a policy briefing on Capitol Hill, September 24, 2024, in Washington. (Mariam Zuhaib / AP Photo)

Democrats may find themselves in for a civil war in the early days of 2026 – just as they see opportunities to defeat Republicans at the polls in the 2026 perterms. On paper, Democrats represent the best chance to gain control of the house. The Senate is up for grabs based on a map that heavily favors the GOP. But Democrats think they could be within striking distance if they hold the seats of retiring veterans. Gary Peters, D-mich. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-GA. Democrats will need to embarrass retiring incumbent Thom Tillis, RN.C., and Flip Ohio and maybe pull a hat-wearing armadillo in Texas. It’s impossible. But it’s a big challenge.

Internecation congestion could move the democrats to that very small Senate. The same as a house. Democrats should just skip the 2026 Midterms. But being beaten up about government shutdown #1 or government shutdown #2 The party doesn’t like it.

Republicans have not been put into the political manipulation of 2026 they have been put into the drawer(s).

Democrats did this Fall shutdown on health care. And if Republicans don’t budge on Democrats’ demand to extend health care funding, the GOP could find itself facing down voters on the topic. If so, Democrats may not have won the battle to shut down the government. But maybe they won the battle: Mid-2026.

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That’s why few people complained after Congress voted to reopen the government last week. Everyone on Capitol Hill knows things probably won’t get any better for the next nine weeks.

And as bad as this fall has been, things could be worse.