I expect I am not alone in saying I just feel profoundly sad for what the eight senators are doing to the Democrats’ constituency. They are betraying the people who marched in No Kings; the people who shifted their votes to blue. For what?
The eight senators are not doing this to the Democrat’s constituency, Trump and the Republicans are. They own this suffering and need to be held accountable next November. Keep the focus on that.
Wrong. These 8 Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans. They caved when they were actually winning the fight with the public. Schumer is a weak leader. A strong leader would have held the caucus together.
So let’s give up any progress made in the fight by would-of could-of hand wringing instead of keeping the blame focus on where it belongs - Trump and the Republicans.
except the Democrats gave up any progress they made by giving in. The people are going to blame both parties because now health care costs are going to soar. The Dems broke their promise and that is what will be remembered.
I'm glad our Maryland Senators didn't cave, but that doesn't help us right now. Anyone who believes the Republicans will keep their word and discuss ACA subsidies in the future is delusional.
I've been trying to figure out the possible upside discreet strategy that these eight Senators MAY have been formulating in their minds; concerns for SNAP, unpaid furloughed workers, cancelled access to flights, etc, but as soon as Fetterman was shown to be one of them, all bets were off. He needs to be the first to GO.
"Bernie Sanders said any retreat from the party’s demands on health care would be “a policy and political disaster.” As always, Bernie is right." And so are you, Dan.
Dan, it's funny, that the day before the 8 Democrat Senators finally agreed to re-open the government, that Republican Senator John Kennedy announced that he wanted to introduce a Bill to defund all of Congress during a government shutdown ! Funny how that works, and give John Kennedy a raise, and fire the rest! 😡
Also, why is it that the federal government needs to provide subsidies for Health Care? It's because ObamaCare (The Un-Affordable Care Act), at its core, is NOT affordable! If it was affordable, you would not need subsidies!!! 🤪
If ( and i say if) i thought the democrats were smart enough to set it up this way, i would say this was a smart strategy.
They agree to a deal which now forces speaker johnson to call the house into session. That means the AZ rep must be sworn in. She signs the discharge petition which forces action regarding the Epstein files.
If johnson stalls, the democrats lose nothing but now have Johnson as an even greater villain in the epstein & shutdown fights.
The only way that doesnt work is that one of the four Republicans on rhe discharge petition has changed his/her position .... Which will be a career killer.
But that is also high risk as it assumes all of the republicans will continue to block action on the epstein files. After tuesday's election results thats not a bet i would make.
Agree. Republicans were and will never extend those subsidies or change Medicaid policy. Democrats used the only leverage they had and Trump and the Republicans ratcheted up the costs to insure that millions of Americans will suffer, including starving people by denying SNAP benefits. The eight senators are not doing this to the Democrat’s constituency, Trump and the Republicans are. They own this suffering and need to be held accountable next November. Keep the focus on that.
The folks who get Snap benefits don't motivate the Senators. The folks who depend upon Obamacare subsidies don't motivate the Senators. The federal employees not being paid? No motivation there.
But the trauma at the airports.......trip cancellations, the airline industry, the cruise industry, the hotel industry, the rental car industry, business travelers, and so forth, with the massive impact on the state and local economies.......I believe this is what motivated some Democrats.
When the vote is taken in a few months on extending Obamacare subsidies, if they are not extended, the Democrats can preach about that at that time, and maintain the attacks they have pursued here.
They caved for a promise of a vote they will most likely lose, if a vote even happens. The shutdown was for that? Really? Am I missing something? The message here is to just wait the Democrats out. They'll cave in the end. It's both disappointing and disgusting.
Dan, Trump was wielding 2 weapons against his "hostages" -- hunger and health care. It's been increasingly obvious the health care issue was one the Republicans would never give up on. I think Dems ought to take the win for getting government programs going again, getting people paid (AND rehired!) and back to work. Personally I like the Canadian model where if they can't pass a budget ALL legislators are immediately up for re-election!
People express disdain for politics, but politics have been the life of our democratic system. Historically, the three main components of our county's politics have been power, persuasion, and compromise. Now, but hopefully not forever, power has become unbalanced. That leaves persuasion and compromise. That seems weak, but history says otherwise. End of lesson.
Wait! So the idea was to hold out and actually solve the health subsidy crisis? Hmmmm. Wouldn't that neutralize one of the few winning issues the Dems have for '26? Instead, the 8 Dem senators gave cover for the entire party to cynically kick the can down the road on this one. It's the SAME GAME the R's played on immigration when 'Dear Leader' pulled the plug on their own "solution" prior to '24. Look how it worked out for them! Trump won! They got 3 Army divisions of masked paramilitaries spreading terror in cities out of the deal! So smart! Only the best! Yes, D's want to solve the problem -- just not right now -- and NOT with substantial concessions to the R's. Helluva way to run a failing empire!
Schumer has to go. An effective leader would have kept the caucus together. They had the momentum from last weeks election. The republicans will never let a vote on healthcare happen or if they do they will vote it down anyway.
Bernie isn’t a committed Democrat, he’s independent. Never have understood why he participates in party affairs when he isn’t willing to wear the label.
I expect I am not alone in saying I just feel profoundly sad for what the eight senators are doing to the Democrats’ constituency. They are betraying the people who marched in No Kings; the people who shifted their votes to blue. For what?
The eight senators are not doing this to the Democrat’s constituency, Trump and the Republicans are. They own this suffering and need to be held accountable next November. Keep the focus on that.
Wrong. These 8 Democrats are just as bad as the Republicans. They caved when they were actually winning the fight with the public. Schumer is a weak leader. A strong leader would have held the caucus together.
So let’s give up any progress made in the fight by would-of could-of hand wringing instead of keeping the blame focus on where it belongs - Trump and the Republicans.
except the Democrats gave up any progress they made by giving in. The people are going to blame both parties because now health care costs are going to soar. The Dems broke their promise and that is what will be remembered.
I like your optimism. I wish I shared it.
I'm glad our Maryland Senators didn't cave, but that doesn't help us right now. Anyone who believes the Republicans will keep their word and discuss ACA subsidies in the future is delusional.
I've been trying to figure out the possible upside discreet strategy that these eight Senators MAY have been formulating in their minds; concerns for SNAP, unpaid furloughed workers, cancelled access to flights, etc, but as soon as Fetterman was shown to be one of them, all bets were off. He needs to be the first to GO.
"Bernie Sanders said any retreat from the party’s demands on health care would be “a policy and political disaster.” As always, Bernie is right." And so are you, Dan.
I just can't understand this vote.
Dan, it's funny, that the day before the 8 Democrat Senators finally agreed to re-open the government, that Republican Senator John Kennedy announced that he wanted to introduce a Bill to defund all of Congress during a government shutdown ! Funny how that works, and give John Kennedy a raise, and fire the rest! 😡
Also, why is it that the federal government needs to provide subsidies for Health Care? It's because ObamaCare (The Un-Affordable Care Act), at its core, is NOT affordable! If it was affordable, you would not need subsidies!!! 🤪
If ( and i say if) i thought the democrats were smart enough to set it up this way, i would say this was a smart strategy.
They agree to a deal which now forces speaker johnson to call the house into session. That means the AZ rep must be sworn in. She signs the discharge petition which forces action regarding the Epstein files.
If johnson stalls, the democrats lose nothing but now have Johnson as an even greater villain in the epstein & shutdown fights.
The only way that doesnt work is that one of the four Republicans on rhe discharge petition has changed his/her position .... Which will be a career killer.
But that is also high risk as it assumes all of the republicans will continue to block action on the epstein files. After tuesday's election results thats not a bet i would make.
Agree. Republicans were and will never extend those subsidies or change Medicaid policy. Democrats used the only leverage they had and Trump and the Republicans ratcheted up the costs to insure that millions of Americans will suffer, including starving people by denying SNAP benefits. The eight senators are not doing this to the Democrat’s constituency, Trump and the Republicans are. They own this suffering and need to be held accountable next November. Keep the focus on that.
The folks who get Snap benefits don't motivate the Senators. The folks who depend upon Obamacare subsidies don't motivate the Senators. The federal employees not being paid? No motivation there.
But the trauma at the airports.......trip cancellations, the airline industry, the cruise industry, the hotel industry, the rental car industry, business travelers, and so forth, with the massive impact on the state and local economies.......I believe this is what motivated some Democrats.
When the vote is taken in a few months on extending Obamacare subsidies, if they are not extended, the Democrats can preach about that at that time, and maintain the attacks they have pursued here.
They caved for a promise of a vote they will most likely lose, if a vote even happens. The shutdown was for that? Really? Am I missing something? The message here is to just wait the Democrats out. They'll cave in the end. It's both disappointing and disgusting.
Dan, Trump was wielding 2 weapons against his "hostages" -- hunger and health care. It's been increasingly obvious the health care issue was one the Republicans would never give up on. I think Dems ought to take the win for getting government programs going again, getting people paid (AND rehired!) and back to work. Personally I like the Canadian model where if they can't pass a budget ALL legislators are immediately up for re-election!
People express disdain for politics, but politics have been the life of our democratic system. Historically, the three main components of our county's politics have been power, persuasion, and compromise. Now, but hopefully not forever, power has become unbalanced. That leaves persuasion and compromise. That seems weak, but history says otherwise. End of lesson.
Wait! So the idea was to hold out and actually solve the health subsidy crisis? Hmmmm. Wouldn't that neutralize one of the few winning issues the Dems have for '26? Instead, the 8 Dem senators gave cover for the entire party to cynically kick the can down the road on this one. It's the SAME GAME the R's played on immigration when 'Dear Leader' pulled the plug on their own "solution" prior to '24. Look how it worked out for them! Trump won! They got 3 Army divisions of masked paramilitaries spreading terror in cities out of the deal! So smart! Only the best! Yes, D's want to solve the problem -- just not right now -- and NOT with substantial concessions to the R's. Helluva way to run a failing empire!
Schumer has to go. An effective leader would have kept the caucus together. They had the momentum from last weeks election. The republicans will never let a vote on healthcare happen or if they do they will vote it down anyway.
Bernie isn’t a committed Democrat, he’s independent. Never have understood why he participates in party affairs when he isn’t willing to wear the label.