At midnight on Wednesday, the federal authorities shut down. Democrats made good on their promise to vote towards a unbroken decision if Republicans didn’t lengthen expiring Obamacare tax credit, and funding expired. Now, either side are digging in to play the blame recreation.
Democrats argue that Republicans are responsible for refusing to budge on well being care, whereas Republicans blame Democrats for refusing to supply the votes to maintain the federal government open. In the meantime, President Donald Trump is making an unprecedented menace to not simply furlough federal employees — regular for a shutdown — however lay them off outright and go after packages Democrats help.
To try to make sense of how we obtained right here and what’s taking place now, At present Defined co-host Sean Rameswaram spoke with Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of many occasion’s main voices on the shut down combat.
Beneath is an excerpt of their dialog, edited for size and readability. There’s far more within the full episode, so hearken to At present, Defined wherever you get podcasts, together with Apple Podcasts, Pandora, and Spotify.
The federal government is shut down. The Democrats shut it down. I’m wondering who you assume individuals will blame, you guys or the Republicans?
Let’s again up only a tiny little bit. What occurred in July was that the Republicans mentioned, “Yeah, yeah, we all know the funds’s on the market, however we wish to make this alteration to the funds. We wish to roll again healthcare protection for 15 million People, as a result of we wish to use that cash for tax breaks for a handful of billionaires and billionaire firms.”
And Democrats mentioned, “You possibly can’t try this, we already had a funds, we already allotted that cash.” And Republicans mentioned, “Oh, sure we are able to.” And so they voted it by. Solely Republicans voted for it. And the Democrats simply stood by, as a result of it was a particular system that solely took 50 votes.
Now, they arrive again and so they say, “Okay, now we’re prepared for the funds” — the half that takes 60 votes, the half the place authorities must be funded for the entire 12 months. And we’re saying, “Hey, we wish to speak about that well being care half. We wanna make it a part of the negotiations that if you wish to cross a funds proper now, you gotta roll again these cuts on well being care.”
That is about seniors who’re gonna get pushed out of nursing properties. That is about brand-new infants and their mamas who’re going to lose their well being care. That is about your neighbor who wants a house well being aide or a wheelchair in order that she will be able to stay independently. It’s about dropping that.
I wish to ask you concerning the optics of the shut down right here, since you’re clearly establishing the way you guys are framing this combat. After which, you’ve obtained the Republicans who’re framing it very otherwise. They’re saying that you simply guys wish to give well being care to unlawful immigrants, of their phrases.
Can we simply cease proper there? That is only a lie. They’ll additionally get up and say, “The sky is inexperienced.” They’ll say it. It isn’t true. The legislation is obvious. There isn’t a one who’s an undocumented immigrant who’s entitled to any assist from Medicaid, from the Reasonably priced Care Act. Zero. None.
I’m wondering in the event you assume it’s a difficulty that these cuts to Medicare that you simply’ve referenced a few instances now haven’t gone into impact but. People aren’t feeling that specific pinch, however Democrats in Congress are framing this combat due to these cuts.
It’s a good level about what’s taking place. We don’t wish to wait on this however do perceive the consequences are starting to be felt. For instance, a few rural hospitals in Virginia simply closed final week, and so they mentioned it’s as a result of our books simply don’t add up. We can’t afford to tackle uncompensated care from individuals who’ve misplaced their well being care protection. And beginning at this time, we’re within the interval when individuals will begin getting notices about their medical health insurance protection and the way a lot it’s going to value subsequent 12 months.
Have you ever been to the web site for the Division of Housing this morning?
No, I haven’t seen it but.
There’s a pink banner on it proper now that claims, “The unconventional left in Congress shut down the federal government. HUD will use out there sources to assist People in want.” After which, in the event you’re on the web site for about 5 seconds, a pop-up pops up and says the very same factor. I don’t assume we’ve seen one thing fairly like this earlier than throughout a authorities shut down. Do you are feeling like we’re going to see some new territory right here on this specific combat?
To start with, we all know that’s improper, utilizing federal sources with the intention to play politics right here. However Donald Trump and the Republicans will do something to alter the topic. That is going to harm individuals. It’s already hurting individuals. And I believe there simply comes a time, you gotta be prepared to face up and push again towards that.
President Trump is saying that this authorities shut down might result in 1000’s of federal employees dropping their jobs, maybe completely on this case. Are you frightened that he could also be extra prepared this time round than he was throughout earlier shut downs to take this out on federal employees?
You might have precisely the correct phrase right here: He’ll punish individuals who do vital work within the authorities. That is simply plain outdated hostage-taking.
He’s saying, “We expect that Democrats care concerning the federal employees, care concerning the people who find themselves doing all your meals inspection, care concerning the individuals who preserve planes flying within the air, care about these individuals. And the menace is, we are going to hearth them.” Why? Out of spite.
I simply gotta cease and say on this one, what sort of individual does that? What sort of individual says that he’s president of the USA, and his plan to run authorities is to take people who find themselves doing the work and punish them for his personal political causes? That’s not somebody who’s searching for America.
If he does such a factor, are the Democrats going to carry the road? As a result of in the event you guys have a number of individuals who ditch the entrance, you primarily lose the combat within the shut down. Are you aware if the entrance is united on this one for the lengthy haul?
I can solely converse for myself, however I gotta inform you, individuals perceive that Donald Trump has damaged the legislation again and again. He has already fired tens of 1000’s of federal employees, and he’s utilizing federal employees as hostages and claiming he’ll hearth much more.
What’s he going to do? Is he completely going to close down the nationwide parks? Is he completely going to close down the air site visitors management system? Is he completely going to close down meals inspections throughout this nation? Is he that vindictive? If he’s, then he doesn’t want an excuse. He’ll do what he desires to do, as a result of it matches his narrative. The true query is, when are Republicans in Congress going to develop a backbone and put a cease to it?
We spoke to your colleague, Sen. Van Hollen from Maryland, and one of many issues we mentioned on that present was whether or not Democrats would run the chance of tempting congressional Republicans to eliminate the filibuster by shutting the federal government down. Are you in any respect frightened that, if this drags on for weeks and even months, you guys might lose this instrument?
The Republicans will eliminate the filibuster the minute they assume it’s to their benefit. And that’s been true all alongside. There’s not any, “Effectively, in the event you do that, they’ll try this.” They make the choice that they are going to do what works finest for the Republicans. And the place they’ve been ever since Donald Trump obtained elected is that they imagine what works finest for the Republicans is no matter it’s Donald Trump desires. And the Republicans in the USA Senate, spineless Republicans, don’t have anything to say about it.
Democrats are traditionally unpopular proper now. How do you assume a authorities shutdown could issue into Democrats’ fortunes within the midterms?
The best way I see that is we should always do what we imagine is correct. And what I imagine is correct is we make the combat to decrease prices on behalf of the American individuals. We don’t take away well being care from tens of millions of individuals. We don’t take an already damaged, creaky well being care system and smash it to the bottom. We do what we are able to to make this authorities work for individuals.
That’s true now. It’s true in 2026. It’s true in 2027. It’s true in 2028. And we inform the American individuals, that’s what we’re doing. That’s all I do know to do in a democracy. I believe it’s the proper factor to do, and it’s what I’m going to maintain on doing.
