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 prolong expiring Obamacare tax credit, and funding expired. Now, either side are digging in to play the blame recreation.
Democrats argue that Republicans are guilty for refusing to budge on well being care, whereas Republicans blame Democrats for refusing to offer 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 applications Democrats assist.
To attempt to make sense of how we acquired right here and what’s occurring now, Right now Defined co-host Sean Rameswaram spoke with Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren, one of many get together’s main voices on the shut down battle.
Under is an excerpt of their dialog, edited for size and readability. There’s way more within the full episode, so take heed to Right now, 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 folks 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 price range’s on the market, however we wish to make this variation to the price range. 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 may’t try this, we already had a price range, we already allotted that cash.” And Republicans mentioned, “Oh, sure we are able to.” They usually voted it by way of. 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 price range” — the half that takes 60 votes, the half the place authorities needs to be funded for the entire yr. And we’re saying, “Hey, we wish to discuss that well being care half. We wanna make it a part of the negotiations that if you wish to move a price range proper now, you gotta roll again these cuts on well being care.”
That is about seniors who’re gonna get pushed out of nursing houses. 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 reside independently. It’s about dropping that.
I wish to ask you in regards to the optics of the shut down right here, since you’re clearly establishing the way you guys are framing this battle. After which, you’ve acquired the Republicans who’re framing it very in a different way. They’re saying that you just 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 will additionally arise and say, “The sky is inexperienced.” They will say it. It isn’t true. The legislation is evident. 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 should you assume it’s a difficulty that these cuts to Medicare that you just’ve referenced a few occasions now haven’t gone into impact but. People aren’t feeling that specific pinch, however Democrats in Congress are framing this battle due to these cuts.
It’s a good level about what’s occurring. 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 in the present day, we’re within the interval when folks will begin getting notices about their medical insurance protection and the way a lot it’s going to value subsequent yr.
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 purple banner on it proper now that claims, “The novel left in Congress shut down the federal government. HUD will use obtainable sources to assist People in want.” After which, should 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’re feeling like we’re going to see some new territory right here on this specific battle?
To start with, we all know that’s incorrect, utilizing federal sources with a purpose to play politics right here. However Donald Trump and the Republicans will do something to vary the topic. That is going to harm folks. It’s already hurting folks. And I feel there simply comes a time, you gotta be keen to face up and push again towards that.
President Trump is saying that this authorities shut down may result in hundreds of federal employees dropping their jobs, maybe completely on this case. Are you nervous that he could also be extra keen this time round than he was throughout earlier shut downs to take this out on federal employees?
You may have precisely the fitting phrase right here: He’ll punish individuals who do necessary work within the authorities. That is simply plain previous hostage-taking.
He’s saying, “We expect that Democrats care in regards to the federal employees, care in regards to the people who find themselves doing all your meals inspection, care in regards to the individuals who maintain planes flying within the air, care about these folks. And the menace is, we’ll fireplace 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 US, 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 should you guys have just a few individuals who ditch the entrance, you basically lose the battle within the shut down. Have you learnt if the entrance is united on this one for the lengthy haul?
I can solely converse for myself, however I gotta let you know, folks perceive that Donald Trump has damaged the legislation again and again. He has already fired tens of hundreds of federal employees, and he’s utilizing federal employees as hostages and claiming he’ll fireplace 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 suits his narrative. The actual 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 do away with the filibuster by shutting the federal government down. Are you in any respect nervous that, if this drags on for weeks and even months, you guys may lose this software?
The Republicans will do away with the filibuster the minute they assume it’s to their benefit. And that’s been true all alongside. There’s not any, “Properly, should 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 acquired elected is that they imagine what works finest for the Republicans is no matter it’s Donald Trump desires. And the Republicans in the US 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 way in which I see that is we should always do what we imagine is true. And what I imagine is true is we make the battle to decrease prices on behalf of the American folks. We don’t take away well being care from hundreds of thousands 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 folks.
That’s true now. It’s true in 2026. It’s true in 2027. It’s true in 2028. And we inform the American folks, that’s what we’re doing. That’s all I do know to do in a democracy. I feel it’s the proper factor to do, and it’s what I’m going to maintain on doing.