To the editor,

I write today in response to GROWW, who wrote a letter directed at Congressman Derrick Van Orden. They called on him to end the government shutdown, but failed to consider the obvious facts.

Van Orden and House Republicans are not responsible - the Democrats are. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Leader in the Senate, has tanking poll numbers within his party. Amongst Democrats, he is more unpopular today than ever before. Mr. Schumer is absolutely terrified of losing his Senate Seat to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) in the 2026 Democratic Primary in New York. 

Far-left radicals are accusing Chuck Schumer of not being progressive enough. They think he isn’t fighting hard enough to “resist” the President. Therefore, to appease them, Chuck Schumer and the Democrats have voted to shut down the government. Why? To make a show of resisting President Trump. 

The truth is all Republicans and one Democrat in the House voted to keep the government OPEN. All Republicans and three Democrats in the Senate voted to keep the government OPEN. Unlike the House, the Senate requires a supermajority - 60 votes. That means five more Democrat Senators need to vote to open the government. They refuse. 

Here is the crazy part - The CR passed by the House, was voted for 13 times prior by Chuck Schumer and the Democrats. It merely continues Biden-era spending to keep the government open and working for the American people. Instead, Democrats would rather see rural healthcare cut, WIC funding cut, and law enforcement going without pay. 

Want this shutdown to end? Call Sen. Baldwin’s office at 202-224-5653. Derrick Van Orden did his job, now it’s time for Tammy Baldwin and Chuck Schumer to do theirs. 

Stephanie Potton

River Falls