Perhaps an unpopular opinion, but I disagree that the Dems got nothing in return. They had great results in last week’s elections, which was probably at least partly due to the shutdown. Maybe some of those election results would’ve happened regardless, but the shutdown increased frustration with the GOP and that likely helped in places. There is a plan in place to vote on extension of ACA subsidies in December. Even though that is unlikely to pass, it will force every GOP senator to be on record as voting against it. Maybe the vote never even occurs, but through this shutdown, Dems are making the GOP own the healthcare problem when many Americans see their premiums increase. There is some protection in place for the GAO, both for maintaining budget and for the ability to sue the White House (I know, but still). It’s better than letting the GOP kill off one of the few watchdogs that exists. The agreement also prevents layoffs of federal workers from the shutdown, requires rehiring of workers already laid off, and requires back pay. That is in opposition to Trump saying he planned to let a bunch of federal workers go. Like many of you, I was fine with letting the shutdown drag on until next November. Let Americans feel the hardship of electing bullshit leaders. However, I don’t think that was ever likely to happen and it would create the possibility of Trump using it as an excuse to suspend elections. The Dems were never going to actually get their main demand of extending ACA subsidies, so there was never a clean off ramp for them. At least forcing a vote on it will put everyone on record, or the GOP backtracking on a promise to vote becomes an indictment of all of them. I think this could be the least bad outcome, and some good has already come from it. I would’ve preferred to at least let it go through the holidays to fuck up everyone’s travel, but oh well. Plus, most reasonable people still blame Trump and Republicans for the shitshow happening in the first place, so there’s a little political capital there. We now have Trump on record as trying to block SNAP benefits. That’s something.