America Is Closed. Please Try Later. Shutdowns aren’t glitches; they’re the design. If Democrats fail to unify and deliver in 2026, America won’t just stumble into chaos—it will institutionalize it. MeidasTouch Network and Michael Cohen Sep 28 Washington is about to turn off the lights, and the people holding the switch couldn’t care less. A government shutdown isn’t looming; it’s practically guaranteed. Trump skipped town for a golf tournament, Congress is on recess until the very day the shutdown begins, and no one seems in a rush to stop the clock from running out. The message to the American people is as clear as it is cruel: you’ll pay the price, not them. Here’s the reality: a shutdown isn’t some symbolic squabble over “big government” or “small government.” It’s lost jobs. It’s families staring at their bills, wondering when the next paycheck will come. It’s federal workers furloughed, contractors frozen out, small businesses that rely on federal projects shuttered. And it’s not just bureaucrats in Washington; it’s waiters who won’t see tourist dollars because the national parks are closed, nurses who won’t get reimbursements because Medicaid funding is in limbo, and parents who can’t access childcare programs that depend on federal dollars. The dominoes are real. Yet while Americans stand on the edge of the cliff, both parties are busy digging trenches. Democrats are holding the line on health care—Medicaid, Obamacare subsidies, protections against Trump’s arbitrary withholding of funds. Republicans, meanwhile, are content to let the whole house burn down rather than admit government should actually serve people. And Trump? He’s grinning from the golf cart, telling reporters: “If it has to shut down, it has to shut down.” Translation: the pain is yours, not his. The cost here isn’t just economic. It’s institutional. Every shutdown chips away at the American experiment. Our tripartite system of checks and balances—the very thing that prevents authoritarianism—bleeds a little more each time government grinds to a halt. What happens when the public begins to accept shutdowns as the new normal? Chaos replaces governance. And guess who thrives in chaos? Autocrats, strongmen, cult leaders in red ties who convince their base that dysfunction is democracy. This is why Democrats can’t afford to lose the plot. Yes, fight for health care. Yes, push back against Trump’s weaponized Department of Justice and his tariffs that destabilize alliances. But don’t forget the larger fight: 2026. The midterms aren’t just about accountability; they’re about survival. A cohesive message, disciplined and relentless, is the only way to claw back real power. If we stumble, if we fracture, if we indulge in purity tests while Trump weaponizes chaos, then we’ve already lost. Think about it: while Democrats debate the fine print of subsidies, Republicans are running a scorched-earth strategy designed to wear us down. Every day the government is dark, trust in institutions dims. That’s the real GOP play—not fiscal responsibility, not policy, but corrosion. And if Americans lose faith that government can work, they stop showing up to vote. That vacuum is exactly what Republicans are banking on. So what do we do? We talk. We confront. We argue. We hammer home one singular message after another: Democrats are the party of function, Republicans are the party of dysfunction. Democrats are the party of health care, Republicans are the party of cruelty. Democrats are the party of keeping the lights on, Republicans are the party of locking the doors. It’s that simple, and that stark. Running away—into our ideological corners, into Twitter wars, into circular firing squads—won’t save us. This is the moment to unify, not splinter. We must remember what’s at stake: not just winning seats, but restoring balance to a system that is slipping toward collapse. We can’t let shutdowns, Comey indictments, or Trump’s golf outings become the new normal. Normal is stability, accountability, functionality. Anything less is surrender. This is the moment where Democrats either step up or step aside. We can’t afford bickering over crumbs while Republicans eat the whole cake. We can’t afford to fracture while they thrive in chaos. If we fail to unify now, the cost won’t just be jobs or paychecks; it will be the very system of checks and balances that holds this democracy together. 2026 isn’t just another midterm. It’s the firewall. It’s the last line before dysfunction becomes permanent, before shutdowns become standard, before Republicans cement chaos as the operating system of America. So let’s be clear: Democrats must be the party that keeps the lights on, that restores faith, that shows Americans government can still work. Anything less is surrender. And surrender is exactly what Republicans want. So, keep your eye on the prize. Speak with one voice. Fight like hell. Because if we don’t, the next shutdown won’t just close the parks—it will close the door on democracy itself. Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. ARE YOU WITH ME? RIGHT NOW IS THE TIME FOR YOU TO JOIN THE FIGHT! SUBSCRIBE. READ. SHARE. RESTACK. Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump Discharged Felon Yeah, I know. You’re tired. This shit is exhausting. Guess what? Me too. But I’ve spent the last 8 years throwing punches in the dark so truth could get a little daylight. And now I’m asking you to step into the ring with me. Because if you’re still reading this, you already get it: This isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a rally cry. A war drum. A line in the sand. We are not passive observers of the downfall. We are the resistance. We call out the liars. We drag corruption by the collar into the sunlight. We say the quiet parts out loud, and we don’t flinch. But here’s the truth: I can’t do this solo. Not anymore. The storm is already here. We are standing in it. And it’s wearing stars and stripes like camouflage, preaching “freedom” while it sells fascism at retail. So let me ask you: Are. You. In? Because this is not a scroll-and-forget read. This is a living, breathing, fire-breathing movement—and movements don’t move unless you do. We need to be louder than spin, tougher than propaganda, and impossible to gaslight. That takes more than clicks. More than likes. It takes skin in the game. So if you believe truth matters—if you’re sick of the bullshit, if you’re ready to stop screaming into the algorithm and start pushing back with purpose—this is your next step. HERE’S HOW YOU PUT YOUR FOOT ON THE GAS: Become a paid subscriber. Fund fearless, unfiltered journalism that hits back. Share this with the loudest people you know—the ones who never sit down and shut up. Build the community. Amplify the message. Be the damn megaphone. And yeah—Founding Members? The first 240 of you will get a signed, numbered, limited-edition Substack version of Revenge. That’s not just a collector’s item. That’s receipts. Proof you didn’t sit this one out. But let’s be clear: This isn’t about a book. It’s about backbone. It’s about calling out the gaslighters and refusing to be played. It’s about locking arms and saying, “Not. On. Our. Watch.” You want to make a difference? Then make it—right now. Because if we don’t fight for truth, no one will. But if we fight together? They can’t drown us out. Let’s be so loud, they wish we were just angry tweets. Let’s be unshakable. Unignorable. Un-fucking-breakable. Let’s go! Meidas+ is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support our work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. A guest post by Michael Cohen Principal of Crisis-X #1 and #8 NYT Bestseller Author Host of The Mea Culpa Podcast Co-Host of The Political Beatdown Former Personal Attorney To President Donald J. Trump and Discharged Felon