The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode Title: Schumer and Radical Democrats Make Government Shutdown a Reality
Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson (with guest Senator Ted Cruz)

Episode Overview

This episode covers the breaking news of the U.S. government shutdown, focusing on how and why it happened, with direct commentary from host Ben Ferguson and guest Senator Ted Cruz. They blame Senate Democrats—especially Majority Leader Chuck Schumer—for orchestrating the shutdown, attribute it to intra-party political pressure from the far left, and discuss the political and practical consequences. The discussion dives into Senate dynamics, the history of continuing resolutions (CRs), and a detailed breakdown of what the shutdown means for federal workers, services, and the American public.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. How Did the Shutdown Happen? [05:57 – 10:09]

• Senate Responsible: The episode asserts that the Senate, and particularly the Democrats, are to blame for the shutdown, not the House.
  • "Everything's come out of the House. We're now to the Senate side of things..." — Ben Ferguson [05:57]
• Vote Tally: The key Senate vote was 55-45 in favor of keeping government open, but 60 votes were needed due to the filibuster rule.
  • Three Democrats broke ranks: John Fetterman, Cortez Masto, and Angus King voted to keep the government open.
  • "Out of 100 senators, all of us knew the outcome." — Ted Cruz [06:32]
  • "We need at least seven Democrats... we only got three." — Ted Cruz [09:18]

2. CR (Continuing Resolution) Politics & Historical Context [09:18 – 11:45]

• What is a Clean CR? Both Ferguson and Cruz stress that the House passed a "clean" CR—a no-strings, status quo extension to fund the government.
  • "A clean CR says what we spent yesterday is what we'll spend tomorrow." — Ted Cruz [09:18]
• Historical Bipartisanship: Cruz notes that Republicans have supported CRs repeatedly in the past to avoid shutdowns.
  • "13 different times y’all came together and said, we're going to spend exactly what we spent yesterday..." — Ben Ferguson [10:46]

3. Chuck Schumer Under Left-Wing Pressure [11:45 – 13:27 & 17:21 – 18:43]

• Motivated by Fear of AOC: The hosts argue Schumer is acting out of fear of being primaried by Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and his party’s far-left base.
  • "Schumer is looking over his left shoulder and he sees AOC running up behind him, and he is terrified he's going to lose his job." — Ted Cruz [11:45]
  • "Self-preservation... Chuck Schumer is being held hostage by the Marxist communists and socialists in his party..." — Ben Ferguson [18:42]

4. Democrats’ Demands & Narrative [13:27 – 14:13, 16:53 – 18:17]

• Key (Controversial) Demand: Cruz claims Democrats demanded "free health care for illegals" and removing work requirements for benefits.
  • "Democrats don't want anyone to have to work. They want them to be able to sit at home and get government checks." — Ted Cruz [14:13]
  • "The Democrats have literally shut down the federal government because they want free health care for every illegal alien in America." — Ted Cruz [16:53]
• Underlying Motive: The hosts insist the shutdown is not about policy but "just, we hate Donald Trump."
  • "This shutdown is not actually about free health care for illegals... This is all about just, we hate Donald Trump, and it is Chuck Schumer job preservation." — Ted Cruz [17:23]

5. Impacts of the Shutdown [19:28 – 24:41]

• Who Gets Paid? Although “government shutdown” suggests total closure, Cruz clarifies that 80% of operations continue, especially essential services:
  • Military, FBI, border security, air traffic control remain active but without timely paychecks.
  • Non-essentials: National Parks, Smithsonian museums, and parts of NIH are shut down.
  • "More than 80% of the government will continue to operate. The basic principle is everything that is essential keeps going." — Ted Cruz [20:51]
  • "I remember when Bill Clinton was president... Department of Commerce designated 30% of their employees as essential and 70% as non essential." — Ted Cruz [21:26]
• Backpay for Furloughed Workers: Furloughed federal employees eventually get backpay, often treating it like an “extra vacation.”
  • "You just miss a month and then you get it back dated... they've almost pre-planned for this bonus vacation." — Ben Ferguson [20:20]

6. Political Game Theory & Layoffs [26:39 – 30:42]

• White House Hardball: The Trump administration plans to use the shutdown to permanently lay off (not just furlough) certain federal employees, especially those seen as advancing left-wing priorities.
  • "The White House has instructed every cabinet agency to prepare a plan for a rif, a reduction in force, to give permanent layoffs, pink slips to government bureaucrats..." — Ted Cruz [27:05]
  • "We’re not going to fire people that are critical for the priorities you and I care about... We’re going to see bureaucrats who are shutting down factories, who are destroying jobs, who are pursuing radical left wing agendas. They're gonna be the ones fired." — Ted Cruz [29:05, 30:03]

7. Media Narratives and Coverage [30:42 – 36:26]

• Democrats on Record Against Shutdowns: Clips play of Democrats Schumer and Pelosi, now using tactics they previously opposed, calling into question their consistency.
  • "It is not normal to shut down the government when we don't get what we want.” — Montage, quoting Schumer, Pelosi, AOC [32:02–32:49]
• Media Shift: Ferguson suggests even mainstream outlets are labeling this "the Schumer shutdown."
  • "The Democrats are losing the messaging battle." — Ted Cruz [23:47]
  • Anecdote about Schumer calling The New York Times a "right wing poll," prompting laughter on the Senate floor. [24:41]
• Comparison to Past Shutdowns: Cruz reflects on his own shutdown tactics in 2013 vs. Democrats now, arguing his was to help American citizens; now, he claims, it’s to "help illegal aliens."
  • "In 2013, in the fight over Obamacare... I was fighting for American citizens... Here, what's happening is Chuck Schumer is shutting down the federal government... to help millions of illegal aliens and give them free health care." — Ted Cruz [33:00–35:30]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Schumer’s Motivation:

  • “Schumer is looking over his left shoulder and he sees AOC running up behind him, and he is terrified he's going to lose his job.” — Ted Cruz [11:45]

• On 'Clean' CR:

  • “A clean CR says what we spent yesterday is what we'll spend tomorrow.” — Ted Cruz [09:18]

• On Democrats’ Shutdown Justification:

  • “This shutdown is not actually about free health care for illegals... This is all about just, we hate Donald Trump, and it is Chuck Schumer job preservation.” — Ted Cruz [17:23]

• On Federal Employee Cuts:

  • “You are going to see bureaucrats at the EPA fired. You are going to see bureaucrats at the Department of Labor fired. You're going to see bureaucrats at the IRS fired.” — Ted Cruz [27:05]

• On Senior Democratic Hypocrisy:

  • “Every single Democrat... has gone on record being against shutdowns. The fact that they shut it all down today demonstrates what utter hypocrites they are.” — Ted Cruz [33:00]

• On Media Coverage:

  • “The Democrats are losing the messaging battle. It is clear this is a Democrat shutdown.” — Ted Cruz [23:47]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [05:57] — Discussion begins about the shutdown: How did we get here?
• [06:32] — Senate vote tally and the inevitability of the shutdown
• [09:18] — What is a “clean” CR? (and why Democrats blocked it)
• [11:45] — Schumer’s fear of the progressive base and AOC
• [13:27] — Democrats’ demands: Free healthcare for undocumented immigrants
• [16:53] — Analysis of “what the shutdown is really about”
• [19:28] — Who gets paid and what stays open during a shutdown?
• [21:26] — Definition and impact of “essential” vs. “non-essential” workers
• [24:41] — Media moment: Schumer calls New York Times “right wing” polling
• [26:39] — Trump administration’s plan to lay off federal workers
• [29:05] — Which workers are targeted for layoffs and why
• [30:42] — Democrats’ past statements on shutdowns (audio montage)
• [33:00] — Ted Cruz’s recount of previous shutdowns and their motivations

Tone & Language

Throughout, the exchange is fast-paced, highly opinionated, and partisan. The tone is combative, direct, and occasionally tongue-in-cheek—with Cruz and Ferguson taking jabs at Schumer, the Democratic party, and the media, while defending Republican actions. Colorful language and mockery of political opponents are frequent, and the episode’s style aligns with combative conservative talk radio.

Summary

Listeners are presented with a sharp critique of the Democratic party’s handling of the government shutdown, positioning it as a calculated move by Chuck Schumer to placate his party’s progressive wing rather than a response to substantive legislative disagreement. Cruz and Ferguson assert that the current Republican response is both practical and strategic, with threats of permanent layoffs for left-wing bureaucrats intended as a hardball countermeasure. The episode contrasts prior shutdown politics, mocks Democratic leaders for hypocrisy, and claims that public opinion and media narratives are shifting against the Democrats. The underlying thesis: This is “the Schumer shutdown,” not a bipartisan failure nor a Republican gambit, and its duration depends solely on when Democrats abandon their “radical” demands and political posturing.