Entering its second week, you are still getting caught in a crossfire of words from both sides of the aisle regarding the ongoing federal shutdown. Democrats and Republicans in the U.S. Senate introduced their own proposals to reopen the government, but neither was able to garner the 60 votes needed to pass. According to ABC News, the Republican proposal was only slightly more agreeable (52-42) than the Democratic package (55-45). Healthcare remains a flashpoint for disagreement for the two sides despite a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll showing that 78 percent of the public supports extending the Affordable Care Act tax credits.
Wisconsin’s Democratic U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin used that as fuel last Friday for her push to get the tax credits extended, saying that without them, 270,000 Wisconsinites could see their health care premiums double in 2026. “This proves exactly what I have been telling anyone who will listen: Americans don’t want their health care costs doubled or their insurance stripped away,” Baldwin said in a statement. “Wisconsinites want the lower costs that Donald Trump promised, but time and time again, he’s come up short on that promise. I’m at the table, ready to work with anyone who will help me deliver the breathing room Wisconsin families need in their budgets.”
Republican U.S. Senator Ron Johnson addressed the government shutdown, among other topics, during his tele-town hall meeting on Monday, emphasizing that this would not happen if his End Shutdowns Act were approved. When asked about healthcare, Johnson pointed out the issues with the Affordable Care Act, saying that “faulty design” surrounding how to insure those with pre-existing conditions led to some policies “double, tripling, quadrupling” in price in the program’s early days. He added that many of the talking points, especially those surrounding the enhanced subsidies that were enacted during the pandemic, are widely distorted.
President Donald Trump posted on his TruthSocial platform Monday night that he would be willing to negotiate with Democrats about their healthcare concerns, but only if they open the government first.
Thousands of federal employees are furloughed until further notice due to the shutdown, while immigration court proceedings, federal inspections, and some loans for small businesses and homebuyers will be delayed. If you need to acquire a passport, catch a flight, or receive a payment from Social Security or Medicare, you are unaffected for now. This is the 11th time the federal government has shut down, with some shutdowns lasting just hours and others lasting several days. Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump have all presided over shutdowns that lasted two weeks or more.
