(…) Democrats on Wednesday released an alternative that would extend funding only through Oct. 31 but tacks on a range of priorities: a permanent extension of subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year; the reversal of Medicaid cuts enacted in the GOP’s Big, Beautiful Bill; and new guardrails to prevent the Trump Administration from freezing or rescinding money that Congress has approved. Their measure also restores nearly half a billion dollars to public broadcasting, lifts the freeze on foreign aid funding, and boosts congressional security funds in the wake of the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The proposal amounts to a political manifesto as much as a governing plan. Few Democrats expect it to be enacted as written. But leaders argue that it signals their baseline demands for any negotiation—and highlights contrasts they believe will resonate with voters.
Two weeks ahead of the key deadline, party leaders are staking out a rhetorical hard line demanding that their Republican counterparts come to the negotiating table to discuss concessions on health care and other issues.
They released an alternative funding patch Wednesday that extends government funding through the end of October and tacks on a host of policy demands, including an extension of health care subsidies, the repeal of Medicaid cuts in the GOP megabill and more.
Democrats hope the counteroffer will kindle bipartisan talks. But Republicans are instead accusing them of hypocrisy, citing all the times they insisted the GOP had to swallow a “clean” short-term funding bill in past shutdown fights.
Still, under tremendous pressure from their base to show that they are willing to fight President Donald Trump, Democrats are flirting with a politically risky shutdown without a firm exit plan or even an idea of what victory might look like.
“We may not have the luxury of a victory scenario,” said Rep. Jared Huffman (D-Calif.). “I think what we’re trying to do is avoid things getting worse. I don’t think victory is in anyone’s hopes and dreams in this moment.”
Thus far, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have focused on the lowest common denominator uniting the various factions inside their ranks: demanding negotiations in return for Democratic votes to avoid a shutdown — which are necessary due to the Senate filibuster.
But their GOP counterparts, Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have been more than happy to turn the tables and paint Democrats as the ones making unreasonable demands.
You understand what this vile half of the UniParty has been doing to the country for the last decade, right?
“Give us what we want…or we’ll unleash our rioting goons on the country.”
That’s exactly what they did in the summer of 2020.
They tried it again THIS YEAR with the… https://t.co/t8ryh2iirq pic.twitter.com/ycjOSHd70V
— Brian Cates – Political Columnist & Pundit (@drawandstrike) September 23, 2025
Trump responds to Hakeem Jeffries 9/23/2025:
After reviewing the details of the unserious and ridiculous demands being made by the Minority Radical Left Democrats in return for their Votes to keep our thriving Country open, I have decided that no meeting with their Congressional Leaders could possibly be productive. They are threatening to shut down the Government of the United States unless they can have over $1 Trillion Dollars in new spending to continue free healthcare for Illegal Aliens (A monumental cost!), force Taxpayers to fund Transgender surgery for minors, have dead people on the Medicaid roles, allow Illegal Alien Criminals to steal Billions of Dollars in American Taxpayer Benefits, try to force our Country to again open our Borders to Criminals and to the World, allow men to play in women’s sports, and essentially create Transgender operations for everybody. These Radical Left Views and Policies is what allowed me to win the Presidential Election, including all seven Swing States, and the Popular Vote, IN A HISTORIC LANDSLIDE. There are consequences to losing Elections but, based on their letter to me, the Democrats haven’t figured that out yet. They are trying to eliminate the popular $50 Billion Dollar Rural and Vulnerable Hospital Fund, which was passed with only Republican Votes, and proudly signed into Law by ME. The Democrats in Congress seem to have totally lost their way. They obviously have no idea what it means to put America First or to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! All Congressional Democrats want to do is enact Radical Left Policies that nobody voted for — High Taxes, Open Borders, No Consequences for Violent Criminals, Men in Women’s Sports, Taxpayer funded “TRANSGENDER” surgery, and much more. Few people voted for what they represent, which would lead to the destruction of America. Instead, people voted for COMMON SENSE, and that’s what the Republicans and your President, “DONALD J. TRUMP,” stand for. I look forward to meeting with them if they get serious about the future of our Nation. We must keep the Government open, and legislate like true Patriots rather than hold American Citizens hostage, knowing that they want our now thriving Country closed. I’ll be happy to meet with them if they agree to the Principles in this Letter. They must do their job! Otherwise, it will just be another long and brutal slog through their radicalized quicksand. To the Leaders of the Democrat Party, the ball is in your court. I look forward to meeting with you when you become realistic about the things that our Country stands for. DO THE RIGHT THING!
DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
President Trump Isn’t Backing Down from Crushing Radical Left Violencehttps://t.co/2cZIxDtMsD
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) September 22, 2025