Republicans Struggle to Explain Shutdown of the House

Thursday, October 23, 2025

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) faced a tough-love complaint from a usually loyal soldier among rank-and-file Republicans.

Posted by retort at 11:00 AM | 44 COMMENTS | permalink

Today, Mike Johnson will have the House adjourned for 77 out of the last 89 days. House Republicans have worked 12 days in 3 months. All to prevent a vote on releasing the Epstein files. The House Republican Epstein Shutdown continues.

[image or embed]
-- Ron Filipkowski (@ronfilipkowski.bsky.social) Oct 20, 2025 at 7:40 AM

Comments

It's easy... they're still mad at Obama.

#1 | Posted by RightisTrite at 2025-10-23 11:12 AM

How many times has the house sent a clean bill to the senate only to have senate Dems vote against it? This is not the time to renegotiate a bill that already passed. It passed in a democratic way. Why do Dems hate democracy?

#2 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 11:14 AM

"How many times has the house sent a clean bill to the senate only to have senate Dems vote against it?"

Is it zero?

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 11:22 AM

Why do Dems hate democracy?

#2 | POSTED BY FISHPAW

Oh, we're a democracy now?

I thought we were a republic.

#4 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 11:22 AM

The government is closed because the Epstein Files will concretely prove that Trump is a sex criminal and a pervert. I mean prove that in a way that even blood-red MAGA voters will recoil.

The government is also closed because Trump wants to prove that we don't need a House of representatives, we only need him.

#5 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 11:26 AM

Just covering for the pedophile-in-chief and doing as much damage to the country as possible before the adults get back.

#6 | Posted by morris at 2025-10-23 12:08 PM

"How many times has the house sent a clean bill to the senate only to have senate Dems vote against it?"

Is it zero?

#3 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 11:22 AM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)
| Newsworthy 1

According to Politico it's 12 so far.

#7 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:20 PM

"How many times has the house sent a clean bill to the senate only to have senate Dems vote against it?"

Why would it matter if the Dems vote against it, when the Republicans hold the majority in the Senate?

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 12:21 PM

The government is closed because the Epstein Files will concretely prove that Trump is a sex criminal and a pervert. I mean prove that in a way that even blood-red MAGA voters will recoil.
The government is also closed because Trump wants to prove that we don't need a House of representatives, we only need him.

#5 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 11:26 AM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

Thank god you are not one of the government workers so the urinal cakes in the bus stations can still get replaced.

#9 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:25 PM

Starting at the first of the month MAGA congressfolk will be holding only call-in town hall events, so as to avoid the in-person screaming about the 2006 health insurance premiums for Obamacare voters. Give it a week or so and the Dem position on maintaining the subsidies on Obamacare will look like an idea so good any MAGA functionary other than Russell Vought will favor the extension...

#10 | Posted by catdog at 2025-10-23 12:25 PM

Thank god you are not one of the government workers so the urinal cakes in the bus stations can still get replaced.
#9 | Posted by fishpaw

^
This man spends a lot of time in bus station bathrooms.
Now what would this man be cruising bathrooms for, and paying close attention to where the men pee?

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 12:33 PM

"How many times has the house sent a clean bill to the senate only to have senate Dems vote against it?"
Why would it matter if the Dems vote against it, when the Republicans hold the majority in the Senate?

#8 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 12:21 PM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

All of the GOP except 1 has voted to keep government open so I'm sorry but it needs 7 dems and only 3 have voted to open the government. All of the other Dem senators have voted to keep it closed. What other questions do you have? I'd explain a filibuster to you but baby steps.

#12 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:40 PM

The government is closed because the Epstein Files will concretely prove that Trump is a sex criminal and a pervert. I mean prove that in a way that even blood-red MAGA voters will recoil.

Regardless of what the Epstein files reveal, I doubt you'll see a reaction from MAGA.

They have already decided pedophilia is fine with them.

#13 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-10-23 12:41 PM

Now what would this man be cruising bathrooms for, and paying close attention to where the men pee?

#11 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 12:33 PM | Reply | Flag:
(Choose)

Um, to take a piss? You wouldn't know what one of those is since you have to sit down to pee.

#14 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:42 PM

#12 | Posted by fishpaw

LOL is there anything this ridiculous piece of s(*& won't believe without question?

#15 | Posted by jpw at 2025-10-23 12:43 PM

They have already decided pedophilia is fine with them.

#13 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-10-23 12:41 PM | Reply | Flag:

Yes, Biden's hair sniffing, baby toe sucking and taking "inappropriate" showers with his daughter changed our minds.

#16 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:44 PM

All of the GOP except 1 has voted to keep government open
#12 | POSTED BY FISHPAWN

None of them have come to the negotiating table.

Do you know what negotiating means? It's what Congress has done for hundreds of years.

Just because you believe billionaires deserve tax cuts and poor people deserve to be kicked off Medicaid, doesn't mean the majority of Americans do.

Winning one election doesn't mean Trump is king.

Fkkk you, fascist.

#17 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-10-23 12:45 PM

#15 Here you go dummy #2.
www.politico.com

#18 | Posted by fishpaw at 2025-10-23 12:46 PM

Biden's hair sniffing, baby toe sucking and taking "inappropriate" showers with his daughter changed our minds.
#16 | POSTED BY FISHPAWN

Don't worry.

We all know you're completely fine with Trump raping children.

"Rape babies are gifts from God!"
-the GOP

#19 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-10-23 12:49 PM

House Republicans
@HouseGOP
Last time we checked the Democrats controlled the House, Senate, and White House.

If there is a government shutdown it's because of Democrats.

6:27 PM Sep 28, 2021

The party of---------- now controls the government.

#20 | Posted by reinheitsgebot at 2025-10-23 12:53 PM

"A government shutdown falls at the feet of a weak president."
-Donald Trump

"A shutdown means the president is weak."
-Donald Trump

"If there is a shutdown, I think it would be a tremendously negative mark on the President of the United States. He's the one that has to get people together."
-Donald Trump

#21 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-10-23 12:59 PM

Yes, Biden's hair sniffing, baby toe sucking and taking "inappropriate" showers with his daughter changed our minds.

#16 | POSTED BY FISHPAW

So, you don't actually dislike pedophilia?

#22 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 01:01 PM

Thank god you are not one of the government workers so the urinal cakes in the bus stations can still get replaced.

#9 | POSTED BY FISHPAW

You want them replaces?

Need a meal?

#23 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 01:02 PM

"What other questions do you have? I'd explain a filibuster to you but baby steps."

The Senate Majority can change the Senate rules as they see fit.

Feel free to explain why they aren't doing that.

#24 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 01:02 PM

The Epstein Files will ruin Trump's name, not just for this generation, but for the next three.

He knows that, and so here we are.

#25 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 01:03 PM

According to Politico it's 12 so far.

#7 | POSTED BY FISHPAW AT 2025-10-23 12:20 PM | FLAG: | FUNNY: 1

It's the same CR dumbass.

The definition of Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

There you go.

Proof positive.

Republicans are insane.

#26 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-10-23 01:30 PM

I can.

Trump doesn't want a vote on the Epstein files.

#27 | Posted by lee_the_agent at 2025-10-23 01:37 PM

#18 | Posted by fishpaw

I know, dips*&^.

I also know it's theater.

For idiots like you.

#28 | Posted by jpw at 2025-10-23 01:52 PM

Biden's hair sniffing, baby toe sucking and taking "inappropriate" showers with his daughter changed our minds.
#16 | Posted by fishpaw

Flag: Only takes appropriate showers with his daughter.

#29 | Posted by snoofy at 2025-10-23 02:29 PM

Now what would this man be cruising bathrooms for, and paying close attention to where the men pee?

#11 | Posted by snoofy

Ask JPW.

#30 | Posted by boaz at 2025-10-23 02:57 PM

The Epstein Files will ruin Trump's name, not just for this generation, but for the next three.

He knows that, and so here we are.

#25 | Posted by Zed

Interesting yall keep this up.

Even the victims have said Trump wasn't there.

Not the same for Clinton. But yall are silent on THAT...

If Trump was in those files, Biden/heels up Harris would have posted that long ago..

#31 | Posted by boaz at 2025-10-23 03:00 PM

Even the victims have said Trump wasn't there.

31 | POSTED BY BOAZ

Then seat Ms. Grijalva in Congress, approve the Discharge Petition, and have done.

Seems easy-peasey.

I wonder why that didn't happen two weeks ago?

#32 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-23 03:02 PM

Even the victims have said Trump wasn't there.

31 | POSTED BY BOAZ

THOSE victims. The ones brave and courageous enough to go public. How many were there? 11?

There are more than 1,000 survivors of Epstein's abuse.

3 of whom have died.

Have you asked ALL of them?

#33 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-10-23 03:47 PM

Boaz covering for a pedo and a traitor and just a generally awful human being

#34 | Posted by hamburglar at 2025-10-23 07:10 PM

#15 Here you go dummy #2.
www.politico.com

#18 | Posted by fishpaw

Why do Republicans need a CR in the first place? The way it is supposed to work is they actually go through the appropriations process to fund the government. That ends in reconciliation, which is filibuster proof, so Republicans actually would not need any Democrats to pass it.

So why is the House not working to go through the PROPER process to fund the government, and instead are refusing to do any work on it unless Dems pass their stopgap measure?

#35 | Posted by gtbritishskull at 2025-10-23 10:23 PM

Because the American public voted in Republicans to do their agenda. And that agenda isnt liberal/progressive.

#36 | Posted by boaz at 2025-10-24 08:03 AM

Because the American public voted in Republicans to do their agenda.

#36 | Posted by boaz

I know that the American people didn't vote for this sickness.

Maybe a handful of fanatics, such as yourself.

But the rest of us are interested in living long, safe, non-impoverished lives.

No sane perosn can say that we are getting that, or that Trump/MAGA have any intention or capacity to give us that.

By the way, are you in danger of recall to military service when the shooting war with Venezuela starts?

I bet you are.

#37 | Posted by Zed at 2025-10-24 08:17 AM

"Dollars to Donuts", there are a lot of Republican names in those files. Madison Cawthorne (former republican House member from NC) said that his republican colleagues invited him to orgies before he was forced to take it back. Epstein probably organized those orgies.

#38 | Posted by FedUpWithPols at 2025-10-24 09:13 AM

Because the American public voted in Republicans to do their agenda.

#36 | Posted by boaz

American voters can vote to give themselves a raise a new car and private jet and a personal slave.

Doesn't mean it is constitutional and they'll get any of it.

Americans did not vote for the President to violate the law or to amend the constitution or change it in any way to reduce or eliminate our democracy or our basic human and civil rights.

And even if they did it vote for that it does not mean they will get it even if that is their "agenda".

#39 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-10-24 10:22 AM

By the way, are you in danger of recall to military service when the shooting war with Venezuela starts?

I bet you are.

#37 | POSTED BY ZED

Now that would be hilarious.

I could use a good chuckle.

We should be so lucky.

#40 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-10-24 10:32 AM

Simple answer is not enough dem votes...go figure, RIGHT?

#41 | Posted by MSgt at 2025-10-24 04:30 PM

Simple answer is not enough dem votes...go figure, RIGHT?

#41 | POSTED BY MSGT

Right! Brilliant. So far so good.

Now. Do you know WHY Democrats won't vote with Republicans to pass the CR?

#42 | Posted by donnerboy at 2025-10-24 06:00 PM

... Republicans Struggle to Explain Shutdown of the House ...

I can explain it in two words:

Epstein files.

#43 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-10-24 07:00 PM

@#41 ... Simple answer is not enough dem votes...go figure, RIGHT? ...

If that is such a simple answer, then why has Spkr Johnson's justification for the House shutdown been seeming to change every day he is asked about it?

Why doesn't Spkr Johnson just say that reason and stay with that reason?

#44 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-10-24 07:03 PM

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