CAVE, they should have done it on November 2, the day after SNAP funding was withheld despite the contingency plan with appropriations in place.
It became too late to get concessions for open season enrollment for the health insurance around 15 October, and that was an almost impossible date considering the insurance companies had to get the new subsidy numbers, run them, and distribute the new information to people making choices beginning 1 November. Waiting until 1 November to see if the contingency funds were going to be released is the next big milestone. What was up with the decision on 9 November? There wasn't anything pending on 10 November. Nothing new or special. We, the nation, got an extra week of pain and worry, our food banks were overrun by another week, for...nothing. The same would have been true if they'd agreed to have not seven but eight Democrats vote with the Republicans on the House's CR on 2 November.
Strategy? Don't really see one based on the timing.
