The reality is that this was a lose-lose situation for the Dems no matter what. If they didn't cave and the GOP/Trump removed the filibuster, healthcare costs and cuts would've happened regardless. Keeping the government shutdown while millions of people starve indefinitely was not an option for the Democrats, even in the name of healthcare subsidies, etc.
They weren't gonna stand by and let that happen for long, I feel like a lot of us just wanted the Dems to stand still to be, understandly, a$$holes to Trump and Republicans just for the sake of it, and hey I don't blame the sentiment but regardless, there's nothing Dems could've done to pressure Trump and 'em to fold. For that to have happened, it'd require one or two things, having a conscience, which Republicans clearly don't have one, and two, at the very least, Dems having 50% of the power in Congress, otherwise you'd been wasting time more trying to guilt them into submitting to signing the ACA credits while people potentially go without critical food assistance.
So while yes, it was nice to see Dems stand up to the GOP/Trump, in reality, that was only going to be effective for so long until things get out of hand, which has already started to happen.
As I stated, in October when the shutdown occurred, shyt didn't hit the fan as much because people were still receiving their SNAP benefits, and federal workers, although they had taken a hit, financially they'd be able to manage for that time, but once November 1st came, that's when shyt hit the fan. This strategy was a lost cause, and sorry to say, was nothing more than putting on a perception and image of being “standing tough/fighting against Trump/MAGA/Republicans” but nothing more or less.
For all we know, none of this may or may not have any bearing on the midterms, let alone the '28 election, shyt could turn out to be a non-factor. I'm not sure why some of y'all are being delusional thinking that the Democrats could've matched Trump and 'em energy, letting this shutdown extend into December, next year, January, February, etc, and think people suffering from not being paid, and millions of people's families and vulnerable individuals continue to suffer in sadness not knowing if they're going to have food as their hunger and livelihoods are being used for political gain by the President and his administration wasn't going to be a factor in the Dems deciding to cave.
I get it, when one isn't affected by the suffering and whatnot, it's easy for them to sit there and campaign for the shyt (shutdown) to continue because they're going to bed with a full stomach and receiving paychecks from their employer, etc that they get lost in the sauce, forgetting how other people aren't as safeguarded as you in these situations.
It's tone deaf and delusional to think this could've somehow gone the distance in Democrats' favor outside of perception but who are you trying to convince, most of the Democratic base is on lock, most of MAGA ain't being swayed no other way, and non-voters, well situations like this this could either make them more engaged to vote or simply become more apthatic.
on laws anyway but them blinking first here just guarantees it so 
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