The Find Out Podcast: Adam Kinzinger on the Government Shutdown and More

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: The Find Out Podcast Team
Guest: Former Congressman Adam Kinzinger

Episode Overview

In this episode, the Find Out crew is joined by Adam Kinzinger—former Republican Congressman, January 6th Committee member, Substack writer, and star of the new documentary The Last Republican on Apple TV. The team and Kinzinger dig into the just-struck government shutdown deal, analyze Democratic and Republican strategy, vent about the messaging failures on the left, and discuss broader themes of political courage, accountability, and the cost of fighting extremism. Other topics include Kinzinger’s personal toll after January 6th, the Graham Platner tattoo controversy, and the ongoing failures of political mentorship and succession in the Democratic Party.

The discussion is both frank and irreverent, with plenty of laughs alongside serious reflection and sharp political analysis.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Government Shutdown Deal: What Happened and Why

[00:48–16:15]

• Kinzinger’s Take on the Deal (01:34):

  • Acknowledges Democrats did "move the needle" (health care and SNAP benefits reforms became more visible), but also thinks Democrats caved too soon.
  • Criticizes GOP for "owning all of government" yet failing to lead, pointing out that “Democrats felt this pressure to negotiate with themselves.”

• Pressure on Both Sides:

  • “The pressure…to kind of cave, or find a solution, is intense.” – Adam Kinzinger, 01:48
  • Republicans were at the brink of letting SNAP recipients go hungry; Democrats were negotiating under duress, knowing the stakes for vulnerable Americans.

• Labyrinth of Messaging and Political Pain:

  • Real world consequences (ACA subsidies, skyrocketing health care costs) loom for voters; political framing is crucial but Dems have a poor track record messaging it.
  • “Natural consequences are the best teacher…Electing Republicans is the touching the hot burner.” – Grant, 06:43
  • “I do not trust for a single solitary fucking second that Democrats are capable of messaging it effectively...” – Tim, 07:10

• Schumer's Calculations:

  • “Schumer probably wanted this to pass and found the people that would do it…people that either just won in a safe district or are not running again.” – Adam Kinzinger, 05:22

• Winners & Losers?

  • GOP painted into a corner on health care.
  • Dem base appropriately angry, not totally defeated: “Democrats should have held out for more. But you also shouldn’t be like, we just got completely run over.” – Kinzinger, 05:22

2. Democratic Messaging, Missed Opportunities, and the ‘Pain’ Theory

[07:27–17:15]

• Let GOP Voters Feel the Consequences?

  • Arguments surface that voters need to feel real pain to stop electing Republicans who harm them—but the team debates Dem obligations to protect people from consequences.

• Democrats’ Messaging Weakness:

  • “People can sense fake. Democrats could use a little more genuineness. Even if you say something stupid…that’s what people are looking for.” – Kinzinger, 11:10
  • Creators and advocates feel burned: “We all feel betrayed because we’ve been talking to our audiences about why Democrats are doing this, and… it’s all burnt. It’s all gone.” – Zach, 12:05

• Comparison to Trump and 'Strong vs. Right':

  • “The American people, when given a choice, will always choose strong and wrong over weak and right.” – Grant quoting Gavin Newsom, 16:15
  • The Dems are too academic, performative, and conciliatory; Trump leans into a confident, aggressive posture—even when wrong—and it resonates.

3. Inside the GOP: Culture, Cowardice, and Personal Loyalty

[18:09–26:30]

• Kinzinger Unfiltered on Trump and the GOP:

  • “Donald Trump, who’s the victim of literally everything, this is the most powerful man in the world. ... Instead, he sits around and whines like a whiny bitch victim.” – Adam Kinzinger, 17:46

• GOP Now a Cult:

  • “Over 10 years, we have either been kicked out of the party, left the party, or whatever, and it’s become a full cult... And it’s an accurate description.” – Kinzinger, 18:27
  • “You’re going to have people over the next few years that say, 'Yeah, I voted for Trump, but I don’t like him anymore.' ... What we need to do is welcome everybody who sees the light.” – Kinzinger, 19:07

• Welcoming Ex-Republicans:

  • Necessity of building coalitions and forgiving converts properly; former ‘Never Trumpers’ play a critical role in messaging to the persuadable.

4. Grace, Redemption, and Generational Failures in Politics

[21:43–26:30]

• The Graham Platner Nazi Tattoo Controversy:

  • Team debates whether the progressive candidate’s old, renounced tattoo should disqualify him. Consensus: current behavior and honesty matter most; people deserve grace and second chances.
  • “We’re not electing our moms and our dads and our best friends…This is a transactional relationship based on outcomes.” – Grant, 23:15

• Democratic Leadership Hoarding Power:

  • “You have failed as a leader if you are the Democrat governor of a state and there is not a single Democrat in the entire state who is capable of being a senator that you have not fucking mentored, that is a giant fucking failure.” – Zach, 25:17
  • Problems with party elders not letting go or mentoring the next generation; national risk when succession plans are absent.

5. Inside the GOP Caucus: The Craziest Members

[26:32–30:22]

• Kinzinger on GOP Characters:
  • Names dropped: Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley (“smart but act crazy”), Louie Gohmert, Marjorie Taylor Greene (“has not found Jesus, she’s manipulating you”), Nancy Mace (“she was supportive of trans rights, like, three years ago. Now... reporting actual women going to the bathroom”).
  • On performative or insincere conversion among GOP members.

6. Personal Toll of Speaking Out (Post-Jan 6th)

[32:10–34:47]

• Kinzinger on Threats and Family Impacts:
  • “I feel like a tank that was in a battle in World War II and survived. But it doesn’t mean you’re ready to fight and it doesn’t mean you’re not scarred.” – Kinzinger, 33:30
  • Describes personal struggle post-January 6th, fallout with friends and family, and realization of the deep, often invisible, impact this has.

7. A Liberal Civil War: Was Caving the Right Move?

[35:47–49:41]

• Democrats Split Over Compromise:

  • Luke: Sides with deal, believing further delay would literally starve people, but is sympathetic to outrage about the ACA tax credits.
  • Tim, Grant, and others: Express anger that Dems let themselves be boxed into harm reduction, always folding before extracting maximum leverage: “I would have played it right down to the fucking wire…That would have been a message you could have spread.” – Tim, 38:55

• Who Benefits from SNAP, ACA?

  • Revealing that in many cases, Republican households are majority users of ACA, SNAP, Medicaid benefits:
    • “On the Affordable Care act plans, I think it’s 57% are from registered Republican households.” – Grant, 42:25
  • Walmart and other corporations benefit from SNAP because it subsidizes their poverty-wage employment.

8. Political Consequences: The Next Fight Over Food Stamps and Health Care

[41:54–47:18]

• Political Trap Set for GOP:

  • New deal times SNAP benefit extension to just before 2026 election—forcing GOP to take a painful, public vote.
  • “They’re either going to piss off their base who thinks that… poor people should just work harder… or they’re going to vote against SNAP benefits and piss off the independents and everybody else.” – Rich, 42:22

• Prediction:

  • ACA subsidies and SNAP likely to be battlegrounds—Republican loyalty to base over logic or compassion, and Democrats must improve messaging against it.

9. Welfare Myths and Economic Realities

[44:39–50:27]

• Persistent Stereotypes:

  • The Reagan-era "welfare queen" myth is still invoked to demonize benefits; the truth is most recipients work hard and are not lazy by choice.
  • “There are very few people scamming welfare or SNAP…” – Rich, 44:55

• Corporate Welfare:

  • Walmart and other companies benefit while exploiting low-wage workers who must rely on SNAP to survive.

10. Closing Highlights: Kinzinger's Enduring Message

[34:47–35:43]

• On Leaving the GOP:

  • “I think nine out of ten of us would step in front of a train to save a toddler. I don’t know if that many people would be willing to walk away from their party. And so it’s a lesson to all of us…” – Kinzinger, 34:47

• Appreciation:

  • The hosts thank Kinzinger for his courage and candor, recognizing the cost and isolation faced by dissenters in politics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The pressure to cave, or find a solution, is intense. …Democrats felt this pressure to negotiate with themselves.”
  – Adam Kinzinger, 01:48
• “Natural consequences are the best teacher. …Electing Republicans is the touching the hot burner.”
  – Grant, 06:43
• “I do not trust…that Democrats are capable of messaging it effectively. …There’s not a goddamn chance.”
  – Tim, 07:10
• “People can sense fake. Democrats could use a little more genuineness. Even if you say something stupid…”
  – Kinzinger, 11:10
• “We’ve been, like, trained by TV to just love these, like, strong leaders. And that’s what Donald Trump does the best as a TV show host. …American people, when given a choice, will always choose strong and wrong over weak and right.”
  – Grant quoting Gavin Newsom, 16:15
• “Donald Trump…sits around and whines like a whiny bitch victim. …Every Republican man that thinks that’s tough is someday gonna have to…be so embarrassed when their kids and grandkids look at them.”
  – Kinzinger, 17:46
• “Over 10 years, we have either been kicked out of the party…or whatever, and it’s become a full cult…And it’s an accurate description.”
  – Kinzinger, 18:27
• “You’re not going to be in the club until you’re on your knees in front of Donald.”
  – Chris, 14:05
• “People deserve grace…we’re not electing our mom or dad—we need outcomes and redemption arcs.”
  – Grant, 23:15
• “When you have power, it’s comfortable and you want to keep it…party elders don’t want to give up.”
  – Chris, 25:34
• “I feel like a tank that was in a battle in World War II and survived. But it doesn’t mean you’re ready to fight and it doesn’t mean you’re not scarred.”
  – Kinzinger, 33:30

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:48] — Shutdown discussion begins
• [03:28] — Disorientation & anger from left-wing base
• [05:00] — Schumer's strategy explained
• [07:10] — Democratic messaging problems aired
• [11:10] — Kinzinger on authenticity & scripting
• [16:15] — Strong vs. right: leadership and perception
• [18:09] — Kinzinger on Trump, GOP cult, and welcoming former Republicans
• [21:43] — Graham Platner tattoo controversy/forgiveness rhetoric
• [25:17] — Failure of leadership development in Dems
• [26:32] — Craziest GOP caucus members, performative extremism
• [32:10] — Kinzinger on personal costs post-Jan6
• [35:47] — Fallout and debate over Dems' shutdown compromise
• [41:54] — SNAP vote and election-year politics
• [44:39] — Welfare myths and corporate subsidies
• [47:18] — ACA subsidies, political consequences, messaging
• [50:27] — Heritage Foundation, Obamacare's roots, Republican hypocrisy

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

This episode paints a vivid picture of the current political climate: Democrats striving for harm reduction yet endlessly frustrated by GOP intransigence and their own messaging shortcomings; Republicans increasingly acting as a personality cult; the left (and its creators) feeling betrayed yet acknowledging that real lives are at stake. Kinzinger brings sharp on-the-ground insight and a plea for authenticity, courage, and coalitional thinking, both in confronting extremism and in welcoming even late converts to the fight for democracy.

Ultimately, the team leaves listeners with questions about what kind of politics they want–but also with hope that change is possible if people tell the truth, fight harder on their own terms, and actually let consequences land where they may.