Out of curiousity and trying to put myself in the average layman who doesnt follow and doesn't understand the government, I prompted ChatGPT with what I would imagine the unwashed masses would ask ChatGPT to try and make heads or tails:
Here was the response:
Blame for a government shutdown usually depends on which side the public thinks is being unreasonable. In this case (October 2025), here’s the breakdown:
Republicans (majority in both House and Senate):
They advanced a short-term funding bill, but it did not include the full health-care subsidies Democrats wanted. They argue Democrats are “holding the government hostage” to push for Obamacare-related spending.
Democrats:
They refused to support the GOP bill, saying it did not sufficiently protect health-care funding (particularly Affordable Care Act subsidies). They argue Republicans could have avoided a shutdown by including these provisions.
Reality:
A shutdown happens only when both sides fail to compromise before the deadline. Republicans technically passed a bill, but without bipartisan buy-in, it was doomed in the Senate. Democrats blocked it, insisting on their demands.
So, in plain terms:
Republicans are blamed for putting forward a partisan bill.
Democrats are blamed for refusing to accept it without changes.
The actual cause is the standoff over health-care funding tied to the budget.
Do you want me to show you how media on the left vs. media on the right are framing who’s at fault? That way you can see how the blame narrative is being split.