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The impact is going to be felt by millions of Americans. Some will find it tougher to put food on the table as soon as next week. Others will wonder if they can still afford health insurance for themselves or loved ones. Many will find themselves in both groups. Neither challenge is likely to be resolved soon. Players on both sides believe they are “winning” this fight and thus don’t need to reach across the aisle. The shutdown that began Oct. 1 is being discussed as a problem to be solved mid-November or even into December, according to sources on the Hill and on K Street who are universally dug in. This is a shutdown without consequence, at least on the surface. But many Republicans in Congress are just starting to realize their constituents are going to be hit harder than the Democrats on both of these issues. And what Democrats are realizing is that President Donald Trump 2.0 is not the same pliable neophyte they faced in his first term and that the disparate effects on his MAGA base is unlikely to move him. It’s a mismatched understanding that leaves at least 40 million Americans watching as their meals, medical tests, and savings accounts all stand to be pressure-tested in short order.
