The Republican Shutdown Argument is a Giant Lie

Photo taken on October 1, 2013 when the Lincoln Memorial was closed due to a previous government shutdown. Photo credit: National Parks Conservation Association – NPCA via Flickr. CC BY-ND 2.0. Article by Jonathan Cohn. The Bulwark – September 30, 2025.

The Republican Party’s closing argument heading into the government shutdown is a big, brazen lie. The lie is so big and so brazen that it’s almost not worth addressing, because doing so gives the claim far more credibility than it deserves. But it’s become ubiquitous in Republican talking points, from the president on down. There’s also a chance some people will believe it, because it feeds into some common misconceptions about health care and immigration policy, as well as preconceptions of how the parties operate. And in a standoff that has been all about political leverage and public opinion, setting the record straight matters. So let’s get to it. […]

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