How Democrats, GOP could end shutdown and save face
by Mike Lillis and Sudiksha Kochi - 11/03/25 6:00 AM ET
Voices in both parties say Democrats and Republicans alike are looking for a deal that would allow them to save face while ending a shutdown that’s causing increasing pain to Americans across the country.
The difficulty is finding a sweet spot that reopens the government and allows both sides to walk away telling their bases — with a straight face — that they won.
There is no obvious solution, and it’s anyone’s guess what the exact compromise will look like. But lawmakers, strategists and other political experts say there are two ingredients crucial to a deal: President Trump and ObamaCare subsidies.
The enhanced tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been the central sticking point throughout the month-long shutdown, and both parties have staked out public positions that have, so far, been immovable.
Republicans say they won’t negotiate an extension of the expiring subsidies — the key Democratic demand — before the Democrats help reopen the government. Democrats say they won’t help reopen the government until the Republicans negotiate on health care. Neither side has given an inch in the month since the government shut its doors — and leaders of both sides publicly insist that they won’t.
The way out of the impasse will require a delicate dance, but experts say they have at least a couple options to pursue without either side appearing to cave.
more
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5584132-democrats-gop-end-shutdown/
