Washington reopens, but Americans still feel shut out
On Wednesday, the House voted on a deal to reopen the federal government. Now, by Thursday, the lights have flickered back on in Washington. But let’s be honest: although the government has reopened, a lot of Americans have already shut right down.
When the government shuts down, paychecks stop, services pause, and families feel the pinch. In fact, before the Senate moved to end the shutdown, 39% of Americans told Economist/YouGov they were personally affected a great deal or somewhat — the highest level since the start of this shutdown. But what’s worse is what happens inside people’s minds. They stop believing the system works. They stop believing anyone in power is capable of acting like an adult. And eventually, they stop caring.
That’s what our research at our firm maslansky+partners, shows over and over again: when people hear noise instead of meaning, they disengage. When everything sounds like spin, nothing sounds like truth. And when they stop listening, you can’t persuade them anymore. That’s the real cost of a shutdown — not just the dollars lost, but the trust burned.
Both parties are failing the same communications test for different reasons. The polls reflect why.
• Blame is split, which signals confusion and cynicism: Americans are about as likely to say congressional Republicans are most responsible for the shutdown as to say congressional Democrats are (36% vs. 34%), with another 24% blaming both equally. When blame diffuses, accountability disappears — and so does urgency.
AS SHUTDOWN ENDS, FURIOUS DEMOCRATS EAT THEIR OWN
• Even priorities feel negotiable: three weeks ago, more Americans said Democrats should hold out for healthcare funding changes (45% should vs. 32% should not). By this week, opinion had shifted to a near tie (41% should vs. 39% should not). When leaders make everything a standoff, the public stops believing any stand is principled.
Republicans believe they’re standing on principle — fighting for fiscal responsibility. But their language sounds punitive, not principled. You can’t claim to be the voice of working people while shutting off their paychecks or threatening their benefits. Even if the policy makes sense, the story doesn’t.
SENATE VOTE TO END GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IGNITES DEMOCRAT CIVIL WAR
Democrats believe they’re protecting people. But their language often sounds like performance. Voters hear moral superiority, not moral clarity. Compassion isn’t persuasive when it feels like condescension.
In other words: Republicans are losing on empathy, Democrats are losing on credibility, and everyone is losing on connection.
For years, anger has been the dominant emotion in American politics. But that’s changing. The new political mood in the mainstream isn’t rage — it’s resignation. While the super engaged rage on, everyday people aren’t shouting anymore. They’re sighing. They’re tired of leaders who seem to care more about scoring points than solving problems. They’re tired of every debate being framed as a cage match instead of a conversation.
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The obvious answer: government workers, families on assistance, businesses that depend on federal contracts. But the deeper answer: we all do. Every shutdown sends the same unspoken message — that government is theater, not service. And each time, that message seeps a little deeper into the public psyche. It tells Americans that the people they elect are more invested in performance than progress. That’s how faith erodes — not in one big scandal, but in a thousand small shrugs.
When Congress voted to reopen the government, that was very good news for Americans. But it would be naïve to think that the act of reopening the government will automatically reopen public trust. Because every time the government shuts down, it shuts something else down too — belief.
Belief that our institutions can function. Belief that words can still mean what they say. Belief that public service still means serving the public.
The truth is this isn’t just a government shutdown. It’s a shutdown of spirit. And if we don’t find a new way to talk to each other — not at each other — that shutdown might last a lot longer than the one in Washington.
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