The U.S. Senate’s vote to reopen the federal government on Sunday will likely end a painful 40-day shutdown, but it does so at a cost that goes far beyond missed paychecks and delayed services. The deal, driven by pressure to restore “normalcy,” comes with an implicit betrayal: millions of Americans who rely on Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies are being left in limbo.
Those subsidies—lifelines for low- and middle-income Americans—are now set to expire at the end of the year. The so-called “continuing resolution” passed the Senate with bipartisan relief, but no guarantee that these critical supports will continue. In practical terms, Congress chose to reopen the government by walking away from those who most need its help.
A Shutdown Ends, but the Austerity Logic Continues
The 2025 shutdown was the longest in modern U.S. history, the result of partisan fights over spending and political maneuvering around health care. During that time, millions of Americans faced uncertainty: furloughed workers, delayed SNAP benefits, shuttered Head Start centers, and frozen federal contracts.
Now that the government is back in business, the same austerity logic remains intact. While defense spending and tax breaks for the wealthy are protected, basic supports like subsidized health insurance are treated as optional. It’s a familiar story—one that echoes through higher education, housing, and labor markets.
The End of ACA Subsidies Means a New Working-Class Squeeze
The ACA subsidies that expanded during the pandemic allowed millions of Americans—often those working multiple jobs without employer coverage—to afford health care for the first time. With their expiration looming, premiums are expected to skyrocket. For some, costs could double or triple.
This isn’t just about “health care.” It’s about how the American system continually shifts burdens downward. Families will make impossible choices: health coverage or rent, insulin or food, doctor visits or student loan payments.
At the same time, Senate Republicans have embraced Donald Trump’s renewed call to “replace Obamacare”—a move that could dismantle what’s left of the safety net altogether.
The Broader Pattern: Abandoning the Working Class
The Senate’s actions fit a larger pattern of bipartisan neglect. Each “deal” that avoids short-term crisis seems to deepen long-term inequity.
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In health care: subsidies expire, Medicaid rolls shrink, and hospital mergers raise costs.
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In higher education: student debtors are promised relief but face new barriers, while for-profit and “online program management” companies continue to profit.
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In housing: low-income tenants are told to prove future earnings or risk eviction, even as rent outpaces inflation.
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In labor: wage stagnation persists, union power declines, and automation and AI make employment more precarious.
For Generation Z and millennials—already burdened with debt, low job security, and unaffordable housing—the message is consistent: you’re on your own.
Health and Education: Two Fronts of the Same Struggle
Health and education are supposed to be public goods, but both have become profit centers managed by corporate intermediaries and politicians chasing donors.
In health care, private insurers dominate ACA marketplaces. In higher ed, the same dynamic exists: online program managers (OPMs) and corporate lenders extract money while students shoulder debt. The government’s role becomes one of stabilizing markets—not stabilizing lives.
And when the working class pushes back—through union drives, debt strikes, or demands for universal health care—they’re met with the same refrain: “We can’t afford it.”
Austerity in a Time of Plenty
What’s striking is that this “fiscal responsibility” always targets the vulnerable. There’s no serious debate about clawing back corporate tax breaks or limiting Pentagon contracts. But when it comes to healthcare subsidies or student loan forgiveness, the belt suddenly tightens.
The working class subsidizes the rich, while being told that government aid is an indulgence. This political economy of scarcity has consequences—measured in bankruptcies, untreated illness, and despair.
Which Side Are You On?
When Woody Guthrie’s generation faced inequality, they had a rallying cry:
“Which side are you on, boys, which side are you on?”
That question remains as urgent as ever. The Senate’s decision to reopen government while discarding health care protections for millions tells us whose side Washington is on—and it’s not the side of the working class.
Until policymakers see health, housing, and education as human rights rather than bargaining chips, “reopening government” will be little more than a hollow ritual of restoration—for a system that keeps leaving its people behind.
Sources:
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Time: “What to Know About the Deal to End the Shutdown” (Nov. 2025)
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Al Jazeera: “US Senate nears vote on bill to end 40-day government shutdown” (Nov. 2025)
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Financial Times: “Senators take first step to end US government shutdown” (Nov. 2025)
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The Guardian: “Senate Republicans embrace Trump’s call to replace Obamacare” (Nov. 2025)
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Detroit Free Press: “Michigan's U.S. senators reject deal to end shutdown” (Nov. 2025)
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