Democrats dodge on whether Obamacare fight justifies shutdown

Because the shutdown enters its second month, Democrats are dodging questions on whether or not their powerful stance on extending Obamacare subsidies is price maintaining federal staff unpaid and risking advantages from the federal government shutdown.

When requested by Fox Information Digital whether or not it’s price persevering with the deadlock over Obamacare when federal staff are going with out pay for weeks and advantages are lagging, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., mentioned: “We now have to ask a Republican, as a result of Republicans have agreed to precisely zero negotiations.”

“Donald Trump is flying around the globe, Republicans right here within the Senate will not do something with out Donald Trump telling them to, and Republicans within the Home of Representatives at the moment are on their sixth week of paid trip,” Warren continued. “So, you realize, we might love to begin negotiating, however we have no Republicans on the opposite aspect.”

President Donald Trump this week launched into a diplomatic journey to Asia, visiting leaders from a number of international locations each pleasant and unfriendly to the US, together with South Korea, Japan and China.

THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING DEEPER INTO THE CLOSURE CRISIS WITH NO DEAL IN SIGHT

Senator Elizabeth Warren speaks on the fourth and ultimate day of the Democratic Nationwide Conference (DNC) on the United Heart in Chicago, Illinois, on August 22, 2024. (SAUL LOEB/AFP through Getty Pictures)

Republicans within the Home of Representatives, in the meantime, have been in recess, with Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., indicating the physique will stay that approach till the Senate passes the Home-passed funds invoice to reopen the federal government.

When requested the identical query, Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., additionally positioned the blame on Trump, saying, “He has to comply with dwell by the deal we made; thus far we have now not been capable of get him to comply with it.”

“The difficulty that’s most essential to me in opening authorities is ensuring that the president ensures that if we open authorities, he is not going to tear up the deal,” Kaine added. “We now have to make a funds deal for 30 or 45 days, no matter occurs, however he has to agree that if you happen to do this, he will not begin shedding extra folks and canceling initiatives the subsequent day.”

Kaine credited Trump with discovering cash to pay American troops, “when the Home refused to return again to take up a navy pay invoice,” saying, “I believe that is essential.”

But he has additionally criticized the president, saying, “Nobody ought to go hungry, nobody ought to go with out pay. President Trump has billions of {dollars} in a contingency fund that Congress put there for this second and he cruelly refuses to faucet into it, and it is all his duty.”

THUNE, GOP REJECT PRINTING ‘RIFLE SHOT’ GOVERNMENT FUNDING BILLS DURING SHUTDOWN

President Donald Trump speaks to reporters within the James Brady Press Briefing Room on the White Home, Monday, Aug. 11, 2025, in Washington. Wanting on from left are Secretary of the Inside Doug Burgum, Secretary of Protection Pete Hegseth, Lawyer Common Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel. (AP Picture/Alex Brandon)

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Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., in the meantime, known as Trump’s stance “as fabulously immoral as any act any president has ever seen.”

“The funding is there for November, $5.5 billion,” he mentioned. “The president has the authority to distribute these funds… However the president determined to assault the well-being of America’s youngsters as a bargaining chip.”

Confronted with the query, Sen. Tina Smith, D-Minn., mentioned: “Republicans are giving us two selections: both take away well being care from tens of millions of individuals, or take away meals from tens of millions of individuals and never pay the troops. I do not assume that is the selection we face.”

Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., shot again: “You are speaking to the improper Democratic senator as a result of I voted for the persevering with decision 13 instances.”

SENATE Democrats Defy White Home Warnings, Once more Block GOP Bid to Reopen Authorities

The Capitol Constructing is seen from the Nationwide Mall in Washington DC on Friday, August 9, 2024. (Aaron Schwartz/Center East Pictures/AFP through Getty Pictures)

Cortez-Masto additional highlighted why extra Democratic senators haven’t adopted swimsuit, saying, “It’s worthwhile to speak to my colleagues.”

Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., additionally framed the problem as a matter of affordability, saying, “Republicans within the Home of Representatives have not been in workplace in six weeks. So it reveals how callous and uncaring they are surely. They should reopen this authorities instantly.”

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“We should additionally be sure we do not inflict additional ache. We now have inflicted a lot ache on hard-working, working-class People who not solely cannot afford insurance coverage and well being care, they’ll not afford groceries,” she mentioned, including, “This administration is inflicting our financial system to fail and our households to harm each day.”

Alsobrooks famous, “I’ve voted on eight totally different events to reopen the federal government and you realize what, Republicans want to return to the desk and negotiate one thing that permits us to reopen this authorities and be certain that People can afford well being care protection.”