What if We Had a Government Shutdown (Again) and Nobody Noticed or Cared?

October 1, 2025 by Dan Mitchell @ International Liberty

 In 2013, during a political squabble over a previous government shutdown, here’s some of what I wrote.

 

…in my libertarian fantasy world, we leave it closed. Or at least we never bother to reopen counterproductive bureaucracies such as the Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Commerce, Department of Transportation, etc.

I still have the same fantasy. Sadly, I’m sure it won’t turn into reality this year, just like it didn’t become reality 12 years ago.

But perhaps I need to lower my expectations.

Maybe, instead of hoping that departments remain shuttered, I should limit my fantasy to something more realistic.

In a column for Reason, J.D. Tuccille explains how this squabble between Trump and congressional Democrats may lead to a decent outcome.

 

Here we go again. …Democrats and Republicans play chicken over their clashing funding priorities, with a partial suspension of federal activities threatened if they can’t come to a deal. Unfortunately, the government never really shuts down, and the two parties always work out an agreement that involves spending a lot more money. …What might be different this time, though, is that there’s a chance to use the impasse to reduce the federal work force. … 

In a memo released on Wednesday night, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) said agencies should consider a reduction in force for federal programs whose funding would lapse next week, is not otherwise funded and is ‘not consistent with the president’s priorities.'” … 

Importantly, the memo adds: “Once fiscal year 2026 appropriations are enacted, agencies should revise their RIFs as needed to retain the minimal number of employees necessary to carry out statutory functions.” …That would, of course, be the best government shutdown ever. … 

Following the relative disappointment of the Department of Government Efficiency, we should seize any opportunity to shrink the government that we can.

I give Trump (and especially his OMB Director, Russ Vought) credit for being aggressive.

 

The Administration has already taken a few whacks at the federal bureaucracy and, as J.D. Tuccille explained, the shutdown is going to give them an excuse to take a few more bites of that bloated and costly apple.

By the way, the main reason for the shutdown fight is that Democrats want more Obamacare funding.

As a long-time critic of the fiscal consequences of that legislation, I very much hope Republicans don’t surrender.

P.S. If you want to enjoy some satire from previous shutdowns, click here, here, here, and here.