Hi everyone, and welcome back!

In making Microdosing the Republic, I've spent too much time coming up with quirky ways to frame my thoughts — and one of my favorites is Placebo Politics.

So, what is it? Placebo politics are those moments when politicians present the vibes of reform without the substance – the democracy theater 🎭 that looks like change but does nothing.

And this week? We've got plenty.

Gov't Shutdown 2025

The government has been shut down since Wednesday morning — the first shutdown since the last Trump administration, when they held the country hostage over border wall funding. We knew this was coming, and we braced for chaos.

And while it has been chaotic, it has also been revealing.

For once, Democrats have held the line. Schumer and Jeffries still stumble over their messaging, as they often do, but by simply refusing to fold, they've found moderate success. The caucus is unified, the base is backing them, and Trump and the GOP — despite their consistency — are flailing.

Johnson Leads the Blame Game

Speaker Mike Johnson has emerged as the face of this shutdown, carrying the weight for the Trump administration and the GOP. He's been everywhere: Fox News, CNN, press conferences, sit-downs with reporters. Disciplined. Robotic. On message.

But that message isn't landing.

On Fox, he said it plainly:

He's also accused Democrats of “bootstrapping” healthcare subsidies into the CR just to “show a fight against Republicans.”

That's rich. Republicans literally shut down the government in 2018 over border wall funding. Democrats using leverage now? That's not theater. That's leverage. That's governing.

And here's the kicker: this isn't just political gamesmanship. Open enrollment just started. Over the next six weeks, families will notice the increase in their premiums. Without ACA subsidies, those hikes will be brutal. Johnson can call it “theater” all he wants. For families facing 100% or 200% increases, it's a reality.

Let's Talk About VP Vance 

Earlier this week, Vice President J.D. Vance came out swinging, parroting Trump's Truth Social post about Dems asking for “healthcare for illegals.”

But yesterday, he seemed to have softened:

Their hard line suddenly looks like hedging. And even The Guardian flat-out called out his earlier claims as false, contradicting the law that has been on the books for decades.

Vance clearly doesn't want his name associated with this fight if it drags on. He started the week as the soapbox for the administration. It looks like he's stepping back, leaving Johnson to twist, which tells you all you need to know about how weak their argument re: “illegals” is.

Hegseth and Trump Put on a Show at Quantico

While Congress's impasse continues, “Secretary of War” Pete Hegseth and Trump staged their own spectacle at Quantico.

They summoned generals and admirals from around the world — a security risk in itself — to lecture them on grooming standards, fitness tests, and “warfighting.” Hegseth even doubled down on rebranding the “Department of Defense” as the “War Department.”

Trump followed with a campaign-style speech. The silence from the brass spoke louder than anything he said.

It's absurd. Democrats are fighting for healthcare subsidies. Farmers and businesses are struggling under tariffs. And these guys are lecturing generals about haircuts.

History tells us that when governments use their military as a form of political theater, it rarely ends well — and never ends quietly.

AI Memes and Mockery

I don't know why I was surprised, but as the government shut down, Trump spent the week posting AI-generated racist memes of Hakeem Jeffries while a deepfake Schumer spoke outside of the White House. 

And the Vice President of the United States said: “I think it's funny… if you help us reopen the government, the sombrero memes will stop.”

It’s outrageous. And it’s disqualifying.

And it fits a broader pattern: ICE raids targeting not just undocumented immigrants but American citizens. Federal funding yanked from blue states. OPM weaponized against Democratic strongholds. None of this is governance. It's punishment politics — intimidation dressed up as leadership.

The AI angle deepens the danger. If Republicans normalize deepfakes to mock opponents, they open a door that will swing both ways. Politicians of every stripe will face fabricated videos, words they never said, images designed to humiliate. 

Most of them won't find it “funny.” And it only further devolves our trust in institutions and the folks we vote for. 

Where We Are And Where We're Going

This week leaves us with some interesting takeaways: 

• Democrats, often accused of spinelessness, actually held the line. Their modest demand to restore ACA subsidies and undo the One Big Beautiful Bill's healthcare cuts resonates with Americans.

• Despite controlling every branch of government, Republicans relied on memes, militarism, and hostage tactics to get through the week. And their arguments — refusing to negotiate with Democrats, dismissing ACA subsidies by citing “illegal immigrants” — are too convoluted and too out of touch to stick.

Government shutdowns are always ugly. But this one has made the contrast crystal clear. Democrats are using their leverage openly. Republicans are using the military as stagecraft, social media as a weapon, and federal agencies as bludgeons.

It's reckless. It's failing. And for once, it makes Democrats look like the grown-ups in the room.

We're only three days in. God knows what happens next. But keep your eyes open — this isn't just chaos. It's a test of whether Americans see through the theater.