Vice President JD Vance gave the American people a clear message this week: our troops will be paid—for now. That’s a relief, but it’s also a warning. The government shutdown that began on October 1 is still going, and the consequences are starting to hit home. Democrats are playing political games, and hardworking Americans are paying the price.

Let’s be clear about what’s happening here. Republicans in Congress are trying to pass a clean funding bill to reopen the government. But Democrats are holding it hostage. They want to include more spending and more government control over health care before they even talk about ending the shutdown. That’s not negotiation—that’s blackmail.

Vice President Vance met with Senate Republicans this week and said it plainly: “We’ve got food stamp benefits that are set to run out in a week. We’re trying to keep as much open as possible. We just need the Democrats to actually help us out.”

The Department of Agriculture has already warned that food stamp benefits—also known as SNAP—will stop going out on November 1. That means millions of Americans who rely on that help to put food on the table could be left with nothing. Why? Because Democrats are more interested in pushing their big-government health care agenda than doing their basic job: funding the government.

This isn’t just about food stamps. It’s about the troops. Right now, our military men and women are still getting paid, thanks to a generous $130 million donation from an anonymous patriot. But that’s only temporary. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says the government might not be able to pay the troops at all by November 15 if things don’t change.

Let’s pause and think about that. Our own government—the same one that sends billions to foreign countries without blinking—is at risk of not paying the brave men and women who protect our freedom. That is a national disgrace.

Even the largest federal employee union is telling Democrats to stop the games. Everett Kelley, president of the American Federation of Government Employees, said it loud and clear: pass a clean bill and reopen the government. “No gamesmanship,” he said. “Put every single federal worker back on the job with full back pay—today.”

Mr. Kelley is right. This shutdown is hurting real people. It’s not just about numbers on a page. It’s about families. It’s about moms and dads who work for the government and don’t know how they’re going to pay their bills. It’s about soldiers who risk their lives for this country and might not get a paycheck.

Republicans like Rep. Lisa McClain are doing everything they can to end this shutdown and restore order. She said, “This week, more than any other week, the consequences become impossible to ignore.” She’s right. Americans are tired of the finger-pointing. They want results.

Democrats need to stop using the shutdown to push their radical agenda. This isn’t the time for political theater. It’s time to govern. It’s time to remember who we work for: the American people.

President Trump and Vice President Vance are doing their part. They’re staying strong, leading with clarity, and putting America first. But they need help from Congress. That means Democrats need to stop blocking a clean, common-sense solution just because they didn’t get everything they wanted.

The American people deserve better than this. Our troops deserve better. Federal workers deserve better. And our great nation deserves a government that works for the people—not one that holds them hostage.

It’s time to reopen the government. No more delays. No more political games. Just get it done.