It's been another busy week in Washington that saw the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and new developments regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files.

To discuss, we turn now to the analysis of Brooks and Atkins Store. That is David Brooks of the New York Times and Kimberly Atkins Store of the Boston Globe.

Jonathan Capehart is away. Great to see you both.

Good to see you. So the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is now over.

It took seven Democrats and one independent to break with the Democratic Party in the Senate.

Six Democrats broke in the House. The deal that they got, David, does not include the extension

of the ACA health care subsidies, which was their reason for shutting down the government

in the first place. There's an argument here, though, that Democrats change the conversation.

We're now talking about the subsidies. We're talking about affordability. Did they win the war

and lose the battle? How do you look at this? That's spinning that. We changed the conversation.

Congratulations. You know, I would say, I have a few lessons.

I've learned that I would hope that the political parties, primarily the Democrats, but also the Republicans, I've learned.

First, don't pass cynical laws. When the Democrats had control of the White House, the House, and the Senate in 2021, they pass these subsidies.

If they really believe in the subsidies, don't make them go away in five years.

Make them permanent and be honest with the American people about what it's going to cost.

And both parties do this sunsetting thing.

And so it was cynical of them to do it, and the people they're trying to help are paying the price because of that.

Second, if you lose an election and the other party does something you know like, don't shut down the government, go to the voters and go to the midterm and say, these Republican policies are terrible. Trust the voters. Don't shut that in the government. Third, don't shut down the government when you're not holding the White House. In these shutdowns, the president has the power to choose where the remaining money

is going to go, and he picks his priorities and make your people suffer.

Fourth, or whatever number I'm up to, don't shut the government when your party is divided

and they're united.

You're going to lose.

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