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Democrats’ Obamacare Demands
At the center of the fight is the Democrats’ insistence on new spending for Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire this year. But that’s only a slice of a much larger $1.5 trillion spending package that Republicans say would funnel taxpayer money to illegal aliens through Medicaid and other benefits.
Johnson and his colleagues have repeatedly drawn the line. “We won’t engage in Democrats’ hostage-taking, nor will we pay a ransom,” he said.
The House already passed a clean continuing resolution to fund the government last month — with the support of just one Democrat. Yet Senate Democrats continue to block the same measure, choosing instead to play political chicken with taxpayer livelihoods.
Trump Weighs In
President Donald Trump, meanwhile, made clear he’s open to talks — but only if Democrats stop holding the country hostage.
“I would like to meet with both of them, but I set one little caveat,” Trump said during a Diwali celebration at the White House. “They have to let the country open. The people want to go back to work. They want to be served. They need the services of some people, and a lot of people need the money, the payroll, so I’ll do it as soon as they open up the country.”
The shutdown has now stretched into its third week, with no signs of compromise from the Democrat-controlled Senate.
WATCH:
Trump praised Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought for standing firm on budget cuts in blue states — even comparing him to Darth Vader for slashing “all the things that they wanted.”
GOP Unity and Democrat Division
Republican leaders like Senate Majority Whip John Thune echoed Johnson’s call for Democrats to reopen the government before any negotiations can take place. “As soon as we reopen the government,” Thune said, “those talks can happen.”
But even among Democrats, frustration is brewing. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) noted that real bipartisan discussions are still possible — but only if the White House steps in. “We do have good people that are doing exactly that, but I think it’s well recognized that it’s not just the House that has to figure this out,” she said. “The administration is going to have to sign off on it so that the House will ultimately sign off on it.”
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) took a cheap shot at Trump, claiming, “This guy, you know, he claims he knows the art of the deal. He doesn’t know anything about that, obviously, from his behavior.” But even Baldwin conceded Trump might want to reach an agreement on healthcare tax credits. “He wants to solve this, he’s just being obstinate,” she said. “He owns this shutdown.”
The Polls Tell a Different Story
But the latest polling shows Baldwin’s wrong again. CNN’s own Harry Enten revealed that Trump’s approval ratings have actually increased during the shutdown, while voters are turning on Democrats for dragging it out.
In other words, the longer Schumer and his allies hold out for more spending, the more it backfires.
With the public shifting blame toward the Democrats and Republican leadership united against “smoke-filled backroom deals,” Johnson’s hardline stand may end up being exactly what conservatives wanted — a public battle over reckless spending, not another hidden deal made in the shadows.
