I seem to be one of the few liberals who feel that the group of Democrats, including U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, who made the deal in Congress to end the government shutdown did the right thing. I feel that they compromised, not caved.
There were some gains. For one thing, fired federal workers will be rehired. For another, if there is a specific vote on the health care subsidies soon, it will be very clear what the feelings of Republicans are. Right now, there are so many issues involved in the shutdown that it may be hard for some members of the public to figure out who is responsible for what.
In addition, the House of Representatives has been called back into session, and Adelita Grijalva was sworn in as a U.S. representative. This could lead to the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files.
Most importantly, our lives were at risk the way things were going. It was highly likely that there would be a disastrous aviation accident with the shortage of air traffic controllers. No amount of political gains can make up for that. There was no indication that the Republicans would ever cave.
If the shutdown had gone into next year, air travel would have collapsed, along with the economy. I think Durbin and the others, who knew they would be criticized, showed courage.
— Joyce Porter, Oak Park
Democrats are culpable
After 41 days, Democratic U.S. senators finally decided to end their charade and vote to reopen the federal government. For more than a month, President Donald Trump and Republicans urged congressional Democrats to do the right thing — put American families first and reopen the government.
Throughout the shutdown, Illinois Democrats such as Gov. JB Pritzker and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth chose partisan politics over the well-being of Illinois families.
One thing is clear: The longest shutdown in U.S. history lands squarely on Democrats’ shoulders and will be remembered as the most damaging in our nation’s history. It wasn’t about governing. It was a political strategy to appease the far left, raise money and try to hurt Trump.
But don’t take just our word for it. Illinois’ own U.S. senator, Dick Durbin, one of only eight Democrats who broke ranks to vote to reopen the government, admitted: “I cannot accept a strategy which wages political battle at the expense of my neighbors’ paycheck or the food for his children.”
Durbin was right to break with his party, but his words expose the truth. Democrats knew their shutdown was hurting families, and they did it anyway.
As chair of the Illinois Republican Party, I can say this plainly: Trump and Republicans never wanted a shutdown. But Illinois Democrats, pressured by their far left base, inflicted pain on millions of families, including our military, law enforcement and air traffic controllers, to score political points. This shutdown was shameful and unnecessary.
Illinois deserves better than leaders who use families as pawns for political gain.
— Kathy Salvi, chair, Illinois Republican Party
GOP’s health care cruelty
The Republicans were never going to support an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies, no matter how long the shutdown lasted, so I support U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s vote to end it.
I volunteer at an Oak Park food pantry, and in my years working there, I have never seen demand at this level. Families that rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are, for the first time, visiting the pantry just to put enough food on their tables. Federal workers are hurting, including Transportation Security Administration officers and air traffic controllers, and our air travel system seems near collapse right before the holidays.
By tying the government shutdown to ACA subsidies and holding out for as long as they did, I believe Democrats accomplished their goal of drawing the country’s attention to the Republicans’ cruelty in stripping health care from 20 million people. The unfortunate part is that it also raised unrealistic expectations given the Republicans’ total control of all three branches of government and their hatred of Obamacare.
Come January, when folks have to shell out more or go without, the anger will be laid directly at the feet of the Republicans. This puts Democrats in a strong position to take back the House and maybe even the Senate in the midterm elections.
Health care is a human right; we needed a universal health care system yesterday.
Our country needs to elect politicians who believe in this principle and fight for it. What would we be gaining by holding out longer now?
— Ronda Schiess, River Forest
Actions versus words
At the beginning of the shutdown, when the Republicans left Washington, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin should have gone with them. If he had come home to Illinois, he would not have caved into the GOP demands.
Back here, he could have witnessed the thousands of people walking peacefully at their neighborhood “No Kings” rally. His car, filled with donations, could have joined the long line of cars loaded with food and supplies to be dropped off at Evanston Township High School and shared with nearby food pantries. He could’ve talked to the frustrated and disappointed travelers at O’Hare International Airport, who bore endless delays because of President Donald Trump’s firings and furloughs. At the stores, churches and streets, he could have joined ordinary people (Black and white, old and young, rich and poor) who were talking to each other, supporting each other and helping each other.
Instead, he holed himself up in his D.C. office, trying to negotiate with people who had no thought of reaching an agreement. Durbin voted to end the shutdown because Senate Majority Leader John Thune gave his word that there would be a vote in December on offsetting the rising costs of Obamacare — without remembering that many months ago, another GOP leader had given his word “to preserve and protect the Constitution of the United States.”
Actions speak louder than words. The people of Illinois gave actions, and Durbin gave in to words.
— Mary Ann McGinley, Wilmette
Enough grandstanding
I, like many Americans, am relieved that a compromise was reached to halt the lengthiest federal government shutdown in American history. National parks will resume normal operations and will be fully staffed. More importantly, federal workers such as air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents will be paid after missing multiple paychecks. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for the needy will resume. Air travel will return to normal in time for the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
However, I am flummoxed and dismayed by the harsh criticism directed toward the Democratic senators who voted to end the government shutdown. Dick Durbin, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen have been excoriated for compromising with Senate Republican leadership. Independent U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders and Democratic U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, U.S. Rep. Sean Casten and Gov. JB Pritzker have chastised these senators for not fighting hard enough to ensure Affordable Care Act tax credits are extended for those Americans dependent on Obamacare.
While affordable health care for all American citizens is an utmost priority, fighting to extend the shutdown in support of some Americans at the expense of others is short-sighted and morally wrong. Furthermore, the progressive segment of the Democratic Party supports practical solutions with heartless zealousness, which is incongruous and divisive.
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I respectfully remind Casten and Democratic leadership that Congress was paid during the government shutdown, despite the House of Representatives having been adjourned since October. Meanwhile, air traffic controllers were required to work without pay. I am curious how many members of Congress donated their salary to the unpaid federal workers.
Political leaders on both sides need to demonstrate true pragmatism, integrity, empathy and compassion. Political grandstanding and sanctimony must be explicitly condemned. It is time for action, not bellicose rhetoric.
The country and the world are watching anxiously.
— Lawrence E. Bonk, Roselle
Praise for Sen. Durbin
I rarely agree with U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, but I applaud his decision to act in the better interests of all Americans. He helped take a big step toward financial discipline in government. Hopefully he will continue to do the right thing until he leaves office.
— Joseph A. Murzanski, Orland Park
Durbin’s exit is no loss
Again, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin has folded. His surrender to the MAGA party is another disgrace from a senator we have come to see as feckless. He and the others voting to surrender have snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
Is it any wonder why the Democrats constantly lose? They are outplayed, outmaneuvered and out of courage. Durbin’s time in the Senate can’t end soon enough.
— Harry Hofherr, North Barrington
Durbin’s sad last act
U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s actions and vote to reopen the government are a betrayal to his constituents in Illinois and to the country at large.
To do so, after the damage and hardships experienced by individuals throughout the country, for nothing more than a promise to hold a vote on extending the health care subsidies, is a feckless act on the part of our retiring senator.
There is no guarantee that a vote on the subsidies will pass the Senate, let alone be taken up and approved by the House or signed by the president.
I am a centrist and see the value of compromising to get things accomplished. That only works if you have trusted partners on the other side of the aisle. That trust that once existed was broken after the budget, reflecting compromises by both parties, was subsequently violated by Republicans passing rescission votes to eliminate spending favored by Democrats. It was further violated by Republicans being complicit with the president when he froze, deleted and shifted monies appropriated by Congress, abusing his constitutional power while they did nothing.
Durbin’s actions represent the sad last act of the once-proud, but now out-of-touch, senator from Illinois.
— Ronald G Matekaitis, DeKalb
Maybe time to get out
Regarding the eight U.S. senators who caved and voted with their Republican counterparts to end the shutdown and reopen the government: I am one of thousands, perhaps millions, of Americans who are grateful that these senators were not advisers to Winston Churchill during the Battle of Britain.
If you don’t have the stomach to fight for what’s right, get out of politics.
— Joseph P. Drago, Naperville
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