Unpacking the Government Shutdown with GU Politics
On October 1st, 2025, the federal government shut down for the first time since 2019. Photo via Jonnika Kwon
JONNIKA KWON: On Sept. 30, GU Politics hosted a panel to discuss the implications of a government shutdown, which at that point, was set to occur in a couple of hours. The panel featured three veteran political strategists, all of whom have served as GU Politics Fellows in the past: Machalagh Carr, former chief of staff to Speaker Kevin McCarthy; Rory Cooper, Republican strategist and communications director for former House Majority Leader Eric Cantor; and Don Graves, Deputy Secretary of Commerce in the Biden administration.
While this ideologically split panel disagreed on many issues, they notably all agreed that the current shutdown is just the most recent symptom of the US government’s dysfunction, and that systemic reforms were needed to prevent future shutdowns, although all three panelists had different reforms in mind.
Carr focused on the current appropriations system, arguing that the way the government is funded must be changed, while Deputy Secretary Graves pointed to Congress’ committee structure. He proposed far-reaching reforms, even suggesting that it may be appropriate to consider constitutional changes, explaining that in his view, outside-of-the box thinking is needed to reform systems that are inhibiting government operations. Finally, Cooper added that the constant gridlock in Congress and resulting shutdowns are the side effects of a broken incentive structure, whereby politicians and political parties are more incentivized to score political wins against their opponents, rather than scoring wins for the American people. Carr echoed this sentiment, explaining that politicians are more interested in going viral than actually governing.
A key issue of discussion surrounded the electoral and political fallout that a potential shutdown would have on Democrats. Carr and Cooper argued that the Democrats recklessly caused the shutdown by refusing to supply the extra Senate votes needed to reach the 60-vote threshold to continue funding the government. Furthermore, they asserted that this miscalculation would only cede more power to Russ Vought, Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), who, thanks to the shutdown, would essentially have free rein to execute mass firings of the federal workforce at an expedited pace. Graves pushed back against this belief, explaining that the shutdown was a way for the Democrats to offer a clear contrast between their party and President Trump, and to show the party was fighting back, although he did note that this view was distinct from his personal opinion. Cooper cast doubt upon this strategy, stating that it is very hard to find a favorable way out of government shutdowns for the party that instigates them, especially amid disputes over the reason for the shutdown.
Republicans have accused Democrats of attempting to roll back Medicaid eligibility restrictions in order to offer coverage to undocumented immigrants. Democrats have vehemently denied this claim, maintaining that they are holding out to preserve COVID-era Affordable Care Act premium tax credits to keep health insurance affordable. Cooper was sympathetic to the situation Democrats currently find themselves in, stating that they are in a position where it is hard to negotiate in good faith because of a lack of trust between parties. However, he stated that the optics of Democrats continually voting against the continuing resolution (CR) could be politically damaging, especially given the similarities between this CR and the CR in March that nine Senate Democrats helped pass by a vote of 62-38 to fund the government until September 30, 2025.
A mere hours after this panel took place, the US government officially shut down. The duration and impact of this shutdown remain to be seen in what is viewed as yet another instance of gridlock and polarization.
Jonnika Kwon '29 is studying public policy in the College of Arts and Sciences. She is from Seattle, WA.