The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson

Episode: "The Shutdown’s Final Hours w TSA Chaos, Missed Paychecks & Liberal Political Theater"

Date: November 10, 2025
Host: Ben Ferguson with guest Senator Ted Cruz

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the dramatic conclusion of the historic 40-day government shutdown, with Ben Ferguson and guest Senator Ted Cruz dissecting why the shutdown lasted so long, the Senate negotiations that led to a breakthrough, and the consequence of continued delays as government operations return to normal. Special focus is placed on the political maneuvering and its impact on everyday Americans, notably federal employees, travelers, and beneficiaries of critical services like SNAP.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Path to Reopening: A Deal, But Not Done

[06:19–11:45]

• Despite headlines, the government was not immediately reopening after Senate action on Sunday night.
• Senator Cruz explains:
  • Republicans voted 14 times to open the government; Democrats consistently blocked in order to maximize disruption for political leverage.
  • The Senate vote that passed Sunday night finally secured the needed 60 votes—with exactly 8 Democrats joining Republicans.
  • Cruz highlights the mechanics: “Under the Senate rules, you need 60 votes... We only have 53 Republicans... We need at least seven Democrats. And unfortunately, Rand votes no on all of these. So we have 52 Republicans... need eight Democrats.” (Senator Ted Cruz, 06:55)
  • The deal includes a continuing resolution (CR) through January 30th to avoid the usual Christmas deadline pressure, plus full-year appropriations for agriculture (including SNAP), military construction and VA, and legislative branch security.

2. Food Stamps, Veterans, and Security: What's Funded

[09:57–12:21]

• Ben Ferguson emphasizes the real-world impact: “Republicans tried to make sure that even with the government shutdown that SNAP benefits were continuing... Democrats made damn sure that people did not get their food stamp benefits during the 40-day longest shutdown in American history.” (Ben Ferguson, 09:57)
• Cruz elaborates:
  • The SNAP program, funding for veterans, military construction, and security for Congress are part of three bipartisan appropriation bills attached to the CR.

3. Why More Delay? Senate Procedure and Political Theater

[12:23–14:01, 18:26–19:53]

• Even with a deal, government functions can't resume right away.
• Cruz details the procedural obstacles:
  • “If the Democrats want to be full obstructionists, they could delay opening the government as late as Friday of this week... My best guess is the government will open up Tuesday or Wednesday.” (Senator Ted Cruz, 13:03)
  • “We could have done it all tonight if the Democrats had agreed to... you can do anything by unanimous consent... But to do that, you need unanimous consent... One person can object and say, ‘No, drag it out.’” (Senator Ted Cruz, 19:16)
• Ferguson calls out the media for premature claims and underscores public frustration with continued uncertainty for travelers and workers.

4. Who Were the Eight Democrats? Why Only Them?

[13:59–17:04]

• The “Eight” who broke with the party: Durbin, Hassan, King, Cortez Masto, Kaine, Shaheen, Rosen, and Fetterman.
• Discussion on internal Democrat strategy—certain senators given the nod to vote yes for electoral protection or individual conscience—but no more than the minimum required.
• Vulnerable senators like Ossoff and Warnock (Georgia) did not cross over, surprising some Republicans.
• Cruz analyzes: “I don't know what Ossoff's calculus was. Warnock will often vote with Ossoff to give him some political coverage... They both voted to keep the government shut down.” (Senator Ted Cruz, 14:51)

5. Next Steps and Timeline for Full Reopening

[17:04–18:26]

• More votes will be required, but the substantive deal is set.
• It is likely, based on Senate process and potential for delay, that the government will reopen on Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Cruz recounts his private conversation with Senator Durbin urging Democrats not to drag out the process unnecessarily.

6. Impact on TSA, Air Travel, and Federal Workers

[20:47–23:54]

• Even once the government officially reopens, disruption for travelers and federal employees will continue.
• Cruz on travel:
  • “At least travel Monday and Tuesday, I would expect still really significant delays and really significant cancellations. The reason... we have roughly 50,000 TSA agents all across the country. Many of them are going into work. None of them are being paid. They all missed their last paycheck.” (Senator Ted Cruz, 21:30)
  • [Notable Moment] On Halloween, 80% of NYC air traffic controllers called out sick, leading to major delays.
  • It could take several days to a week before systems are fully staffed and back to normal.

7. Political Framing and Assigning Blame

[09:57–10:33, 23:39–24:22]

• Both Cruz and Ferguson repeatedly fault Democrats for “maximizing pain” for political gain, suggesting they wanted to blame the effects of the shutdown on President Trump and Republicans.
• Ferguson states: “...what you're basically telling me is this week when I'm flying... we're going to be dealing with this type of chaos because the Democrats decided not to do their job even while doing their job on Sunday night right now.” (Ben Ferguson, 23:39)
• Cruz echoes: “If your flight is canceled tomorrow, you can thank Chuck Schumer and every Democrat senator running for president who's trying to show off to the crazy left.” (Senator Ted Cruz, 23:54)

Notable Quotes

• “We finally have a deal. And we got the votes that are necessary to reopen the government. So we've had a shutdown, the Schumer Shutdown, for 40 days. 14 times Republicans have voted to open the government. 14 times Democrats have voted no.”
  — Senator Ted Cruz [06:53]

• “Democrats made damn sure that people did not get their food stamp benefits during the 40 day longest shutdown in American history. They did that because they thought it was leverage to hurt the poorest among us in America.”
  — Ben Ferguson [09:57]

• “If the Democrats want to be full obstructionists, they could delay opening the government as late as Friday of this week…. My best guess is the government will open up Tuesday or Wednesday.”
  — Senator Ted Cruz [13:03]

• “We could have done it all tonight if the Democrats had agreed to... In the Senate, you can do anything by unanimous consent. ...But to do that, you need 100 [votes]. That means one person can object and say, ‘No, drag it out. I want to burn more time.’”
  — Senator Ted Cruz [19:16]

• “This week... we're going to be dealing with this type of chaos because the Democrats decided not to do their job even while doing their job on Sunday night right now.”
  — Ben Ferguson [23:39]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Government deal details and the real timeline for reopening: [06:38–12:34]
• Who voted yes, and Democrat internal politics: [13:59–17:04]
• Senate procedures enabling further delays: [12:34–13:59, 18:26–19:53]
• The direct impact on TSA, air travelers, and federal workers: [20:47–23:39]
• Discussion on blame and political gamesmanship: [09:57–10:33, 23:39–24:22]

Tone & Style

• Direct, partisan, and urgent, emphasizing frustration with Senate procedure and Democratic strategy.
• Light moments about “how the sausage is made” but underlined by a serious warning about real impacts to Americans due to the shutdown and ongoing Senate gridlock.

This episode is essential listening for anyone following the government shutdown's conclusion, offering an insider look at Senate negotiations, the immediate obstacles to normalcy, and candid commentary on the political theater both parties use—but especially, according to the hosts, Democratic leadership.