With a government shutdown looming, Democrats are clanging like cymbals, accusing Republicans of not wanting to fund “healthcare.” Of course, the truth of the matter is far different from their pronouncements. What’s being “cut” are COVID-era emergency appropriations that Democrats set to expire in the Inflation Reduction Act.
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) pointed that out on Monday after Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT) attempted to mislead Americans about the situation.
Wrong—these are COVID-era subsidies expiring as per Dem legislation (Inflation Reduction Act, ends 2025). No GOP bill caused this. COVID’s over, so are the temp boosts. Own it. https://t.co/HV0uMpTqf4
— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) September 29, 2025
Then there’s the issue of funding for healthcare for illegal aliens, which is part of the $1.5 trillion “hostage” deal exposed by Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA).
SEE: Vance, Johnson Hold Presser, Rip and Expose Democrat Government Shutdown Gambit
But while Democrats are no doubt responsible for marching America toward another shutdown, given they’d be the ones blocking a clean funding bill, they would also be marching themselves into a trap. If the clock strikes midnight and there’s no continuing resolution, the Trump administration will be able to go nuclear on the bureaucracies, which remain the primary power center for the left.
In fact, a memo has already been set out by OMB telling various government agencies to prepare for mass firings.
“With respect to those Federal programs whose funding would lapse and which are otherwise unfunded, such programs are no longer statutorily required to be carried out,” the memo says. “RIF notices will be in addition to any furlough notices provided due to the lapse in appropriation.”
The memo, first reported by Politico, points to job losses for certain federal employees if the government shuts down next week.
“Programs that did not benefit from an infusion of mandatory appropriations will bear the brunt of a shutdown, and we must continue our planning efforts in the event Democrats decide to shut down the government,” the memo says.
The memo says agencies would be directed to consider reduction-in-force notices for all employees in programs, projects or activities whose discretionary funding will lapse on Oct. 1 that lack available alternative funding sources and are “not consistent with the President’s priorities.”
This is where things get really interesting. Because the funding would no longer exist for programs that aren’t required by statute, those staff reductions would not be considered layoffs. Instead of being furloughed and brought back the moment the lights come back on, as in past shutdowns, those bureaucrats would have no right to return. Further, the administration would then be able to fill any vacancies it wants to keep with those in line with President Donald Trump’s agenda.
That leaves Democrats with very little leverage in negotiations as the deadline looms. If they choose to plow forward with shutting the government down to virtue signal for illegal immigration, they will end up taking a hatchet to the embedded bureaucracy, their primary source of policy influence.
So are they bluffing? I’m starting to think so. No doubt Schumer and company are more than willing to screw over Americans, but are they willing to screw over themselves? Color me skeptical they’ll give Trump that big of a win just to garner a few more backslaps from MSNBC. I think there’s a good chance Democrats back down in the eleventh hour.
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