House Speaker Mike Johnson (LA-04) has been a stalwart figure for the Republicans during the recent government shutdown, frequently reminding the public that the Democrats were responsible for the impasse.
He argued that the Democrats were using the shutdown as a tool for "leverage" and to satisfy their extreme left-wing base.
According to RedState, Johnson expressed his disappointment in the Democrats' actions, particularly after the 'Hate America' rallies, which were co-sponsored by the Communist Party. "I thought [Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) would] finally do the right thing. But hes still too terrified of his radical base even admitting hell keep the government shut down while hardworking Americans suffer," Johnson stated on the 23rd day of the shutdown.
The deadlock was finally broken when a few Senate Democrats decided to act, marking the beginning of the end of the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The House of Representatives, in a 222-209 vote, took a significant step towards ending the shutdown. Six Democrats voted in favor alongside the GOP majority, while two Republicans voted against it with the Democrats.
Johnson, in his post-vote remarks, emphasized that the shutdown was unnecessary. He pointed out that the House Republicans had passed a clean continuing resolution on September 19th, which contained no Republican priorities and was intended to keep the House functioning.
This would have allowed for Democrat and Republican priorities to be debated and voted on through the proper processes.
Johnson stressed that the shutdown was orchestrated by House and Senate Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (NY-08) and Schumer. He warned, "Voters are going to remember which political party played games with their lives."
The official statement from the House GOP leadership provided a more detailed account: The Democrat Shutdown is finally over thanks to House and Senate Republicans. There is absolutely no question now that Democrats are responsible for millions of American families going hungry, millions of travelers left stranded in airports, and our troops left wondering if they would receive their next paycheck. It was the Democrat Party that voted 15 times to keep the government closed and force the longest shutdown in U.S. history."
The statement further criticized the Democrats for admitting that they used the American people as leverage and intentionally caused harm to their constituents. It concluded by expressing hope that, with the shutdown over, Republicans could continue their legislative work for the American people.
President Trump is expected to sign the bill soon, marking the official end of the shutdown. The political landscape remains tense, with the Republicans holding the Democrats accountable for the shutdown and its impacts on the American people. The Democrats' actions during this period will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on their public image and may influence future voting patterns.
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