Democrats Have Already Won A Big Government Shutdown Victory

Democrats are unified and have already successfully divided Senate Republicans on extending Obamacare subsidies, as the GOP is already fracturing.

This is what happens when a political party has no strategy. For months, Republicans in the House and Senate have been voting down opportunities to avoid a government shutdown because Donald Trump was telling them not to negotiate and that Democrats would give in.

Instead of giving in, Democrats have unified.

Please support the outside the Beltway journalism of The Daily by becoming a subscriber.

Senate Democrats were expecting a few members of their caucus to vote to pass the House GOP CR, and three of them did (Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Sen. Angus King of Maine).

The vote is going to get nowhere near the 60 votes needed for passage.

There has been very little of the suck it up and do the right thing for the country mentality that has allowed Republicans to be unaccountable for their responsibilities as the party in total control of the federal government.

Republicans are in charge, and they are about to get hammered with blame for the government shutdown.

While the ideologues in the House oppose any extension of Obamacare subsidies, Republicans in the House and Senate have split, and some are ready to make a deal.

Politico reported:

The year-end expiration of health insurance subsidies first created under the Affordable Care Act is already splitting the GOP, seeming to vindicate Democrats’ decision to predicate their shutdown messaging on extending the tax credits.

…

But top Democrats said they heard a different message Monday in their Oval Office meeting with President Donald Trump, leaving the sitdown convinced he’s willing to negotiate on the expiring tax credits in the weeks ahead.

…

More than a dozen moderate House Republicans want at least a one-year extension of the subsidies, while a group of GOP senators are working on a proposal that would continue them but also impose some new restrictions. Many are relieved that Trump appears to be finally entering the fray before open enrollment starts Nov. 1 and insurers start to lock in pricing for 2026.

The problem that Republicans have is that they created the healthcare crisis, and there is no win for them in the government shutdown. Either the Republicans restore the subsidies now and enrage the far right, or they let the subsidies expire and get hammered by the American people when health insurance premiums skyrocket.

Senate Republicans are already squirming and want to make a deal.

The Democrats were right, and they have had the correct strategy on the shutdown. This is the same strategy that Hakeem Jeffries wanted to use in March, but Chuck Schumer freelanced and caved to Trump.

After Schumer was read the riot act by his own party, his approach has changed, and it looks like Democrats are already winning this shutdown that hasn’t even happened yet.

With their party so divided, and Trump already looking to cut a deal, it might not take long for Democrats to get the ACA subsidies restored and a big victory for tens of millions of Americans who were facing devastating premium increases.

What do you think about how Democrats are handling the shutdown? Share your thoughts in the comments below.