Podcast Summary: The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

Episode: “Government Shutdown ENDING! We Explain When & How”
Date: November 10, 2025
Hosts: Ben Ferguson (for “Verdict with Ted Cruz”) and Senator Ted Cruz
Theme: Explaining the near-end of the government shutdown, how the deal was reached, next steps for re-opening, fallout on priorities like travel and public benefits, and behind-the-scenes Senate strategy.

Episode Overview

This episode takes a detailed look at the status of the prolonged government shutdown—how a path to reopening was finally secured, what that means for Americans in practical terms, and why the shutdown lasted as long as it did. Senator Ted Cruz provides insider perspective on Senate negotiations, timelines for getting federal agencies back to normal, and the political strategies employed by both parties. The conversation also touches on ongoing debates about public benefits fraud and health care subsidies.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Status of the Government Shutdown Deal

• The Shutdown So Far: The government had been closed for 40 days—the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
• Breakthrough Vote: On Sunday night, Senate Republicans secured the necessary 60 votes to begin reopening government functions.
  • Cruz: “We have really good news, which is the government is in the process of reopening. It's not...reopened on Monday, but we got the votes tonight...” (02:38)
• Who Voted?: 8 Democrats joined all 52 present Republicans (Rand Paul opposed) to reach 60:
  • Durbin, Hassan, King, Cortez Masto, Kaine, Shaheen, Rosen, Fetterman (06:24)
• Mechanics of the Deal:
  • The deal includes a Continuing Resolution (CR) extending funding to January 30th.
  • Incorporates three full-year appropriations: Agriculture/Food Stamps (SNAP), Military Construction/VA, and Legislative Branch (including heightened security for Congress) (06:13–09:53)

Notable Quote:

“The entire reason we have a shutdown is because under the Senate rules, you need 60 votes... and unfortunately, Rand votes no...so we need eight Democrats.”
—Senator Ted Cruz (06:24)

2. Why the Shutdown Lasted So Long & Senate Tactics

• Democratic Strategy: Cruz accuses Democrats of maximizing public pain—particularly via cutting SNAP (food stamps)—to gain leverage for unrelated, “pork-barrel” priorities.
  • Ferguson: “[Democrats] made damn sure that people did not get their food stamp benefits...because they thought it was leverage...” (09:18)
• Blame Game: The public narrative was shaped to place responsibility on the Republican-controlled branches.
• Senate Math: Republicans needed 8 Democrat votes to reach the 60-vote threshold required for appropriations—only achieved after weeks of deadlock.
• Who Was Left Out: Vulnerable Democrats such as Ossoff and Warnock (GA), and others like Patty Murray and Chris Coons, did not break ranks to help end the shutdown (14:11–15:41)

Notable Moment:

“It requires 60 votes and it is the Democrats who force the shutdown because they're the ones that are not voting to keep the government open.”
—Senator Ted Cruz (09:53)

3. Next Steps: Timetable for Reopening Government Services

• Not Instantaneous: Passage of the deal triggers a process, not immediate reopening.
  • Delays can occur due to Senate rules: Intervening days, 30-hour debate periods, and the need for unanimous consent can stretch reopening to as late as Friday.
  • Cruz’s best guess is government will re-open by Tuesday or Wednesday (12:23–13:20)
• Procedural Bottleneck: One Senator objecting means delay—Cruz singles out Bernie Sanders and others seeking “a spectacle” (19:17)

Notable Quote:

“...if the Democrats want to be full obstructionist, they could delay opening the government as late as Friday... My best guess is the government will open up Tuesday or Wednesday.”
—Senator Ted Cruz (12:23)

4. Travel and Public Services: When Will Things Normalize?

• Travel Delays to Continue:

  • Many TSA agents and air traffic controllers have missed paychecks; significant absenteeism has already led to delays and flight cancellations, especially at major airports (e.g., 80% of NYC controllers out on Halloween).
  • Even after government reopens, it will take several days for staffing to stabilize and for the travel system to “cycle through.” (20:50–22:59)
  • “...the lines in the Houston Bush Airport were 2 1/2 to 3 hours long to get through security.” (21:58)

• Public Frustration:

  • Flight cancellations and long lines are directly attributed—by Cruz and Ferguson—to Democratic obstruction during both the shutdown and reopening process.
  • “...if your flight is canceled tomorrow, you can thank Chuck Schumer and every Democrat senator running for president...” (23:14)

5. Obamacare Subsidies & The Next Political Battle

• Obamacare Funding Cliff: Democrats’ demand to extend expiring COVID-era health insurance subsidies (which go directly to insurance companies) is slated for a Senate vote in early December.
• Republican Framing: Cruz and Trump position this as “corporate welfare”; they want money to go to personal Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) instead of insurers.
• Trump’s Role: On a Friday strategy dinner, Cruz and other Senators called President Trump, who promptly drafted a Truth Social post lambasting subsidies and advocating for HSAs (31:24–34:39)

Notable Quote:

“No deal. Republicans should give money directly to your personal health savings accounts, all in caps, that I expanded in our great big beautiful bill.”
—President Trump, read by Senator Cruz (32:45)

• The Numbers: Cruz lists staggering insurer stock appreciation since Obamacare’s passage (e.g., United Health up 1,177%) to bolster his corporate-welfare claim (35:33)

6. New Legislation Spotlight: Deporting Fraudsters Act

• The Bill: Cruz has introduced the “Deporting Fraudsters Act,” which would make fraudulently obtaining welfare/public benefits a deportable offense for illegal immigrants.
• Abuse Stats:
  • 48% of illegal-immigrant-headed households receive food-related welfare benefits (SNAP, WIC).
  • 1.76 million non-citizens on SNAP in 2023, up from 1.5 million in 2022—a 10-year cost projection of $15 billion if trend continues. (40:59–42:59)
• Political Context: Cruz predicts Democrats will oppose it wholesale—“it is all for giant health insurance corporations, it is all for illegal immigrants, it is all for violent criminals...everyone except the average American citizen” (43:22)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Why a Deal Took So Long:
  “They use the desire everyone has to go home to their families for the holidays to twist their arms into passing a really bad bill.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz (07:18)

• On Political Motives:
  “It was striking. We could have done it tonight. But to do that, you need unanimous consent...one person can object and say no, drag it out...”
  —Senator Ted Cruz (19:17)

• On Travel Chaos:
  “So what you’re basically telling me is this week...we’re going to be dealing with this type of chaos because the Democrats decided not to do their job.”
  —Ben Ferguson (22:59)

• On Obamacare as Corporate Welfare:
  “Obamacare scam goes straight to their best friends in the insurance industry. They are making a killing, while health coverage only gets worse...”
  —President Trump, as quoted by Cruz (32:31)

• On Deportation and Public Benefits:
  “This law will change that and make it a deportable offense...Every stolen or unlawfully claimed dollar robs a citizen family in genuine need.”
  —Senator Ted Cruz (41:31)

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Start Time | |----------------------------------------------------------|---------------| | Introduction to episode theme | 02:06 | | Shutdown—How vote math and Senate rules shaped outcome | 06:13 | | Specifics on appropriations & CR extension | 07:55 | | Discussion of SNAP/Food Stamps and Democratic leverage | 09:18 | | Behind-the-scenes of Senate/democrat negotiations | 14:11 | | Why reopening will take days; effects on travel system | 12:23, 20:50 | | Obamacare subsidies and upcoming vote | 29:33 | | Trump call and HSA strategy | 31:24 | | Health insurer stock gains post-Obamacare | 35:33 | | “Deporting Fraudsters Act” explained | 40:59 | | Episode close and shutdown wrap-up | 43:49 |

Tone and Style

The tone throughout is urgent, direct, and partisan, with strong critiques of Democratic strategy, frequent behind-the-scenes revelations, and emphasis on real-world effects for American travelers and recipients of public benefits. Cruz and Ferguson employ vivid, sometimes combative language, humor, and direct appeals to their listenership.

Conclusion

This episode delivers a comprehensive, inside-baseball account of the government shutdown's endgame. Listeners are walked through the procedural hurdles, political strategies, and real-world fallout, armed with statistics and rhetorical ammunition for the talking points that will animate political debate in the coming weeks. The conversation sticks close to conservative themes of individual empowerment, government overreach, and opposition to what guests describe as corporate and immigrant favoritism from the left.