Excerpt from the November 11 episode of “All in With Chris Hayes.”
Just last week on election night, the Democrats delivered quite the blow to Republicans in countless races across the nation. This came on the heels of an impressive turnout where around seven million protesters demonstrated in 25,000 communities as part of the“No Kings” protests against Donald Trump. All of this unfolded during the longest government shutdown in U.S. history – a shutdown that Trump’s administration was using to attack governmental operations while his approval ratings were faltering.
Typically, political indicators seemed to all be leaning in favor of Democrats, so the events over the weekend left many scratching their heads. A group of seven moderate senators along with one independent senator seemed to deflate their coalition’s momentum by agreeing to a Republican proposal that would fund the government and put an end to the shutdown.
Unfortunately for Democrats, this deal fell short of what they had been striving for; notably, they did not secure an extension for the Biden-era federal subsidies associated with the Affordable Care Act. These subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year, leading to significant increases in insurance premiums for around 20 million Americans.
According to MSNBC, the deal resembles an idea pitched by Senate Majority Leader John Thune weeks earlier, stating, “Reopen the government now, and later Republicans will allow Democrats to vote on extending the copious Affordable Care Act subsidies.”
Will that crucial vote actually happen? It remains uncertain. And if it does, can we trust enough Republicans to back the subsidies? Again, who knows.
What’s obvious is that the compromise reached appears lightyears from what Democrats initially aimed for, which has led to considerable frustration, even among the moderate senators’ colleagues. The senators behind the deal have significantly struggled to justify why they took such a route.
Independent Sen. Angus King from Maine expressed his mixed feelings clearly during an appearance on “Morning Joe.” He stated, “I wanted to achieve two aims: resisting Trump and securing a resolution on the ACA premium tax issue. The unfortunate reality was that this shutdown was hitting neither goal.”
King goes on to argue that “standing up to Trump backfired, empowering him further instead.”
Remarkably, such statements can feel deeply disheartening, even infuriating, for the millions who marched last month and participated in the recent elections. They rightfully deserve a straightforward explanation for these unfolding events.
One major reason has not been openly discussed: most Democrats genuinely hope for the federal government to operate effectively for the American populace, even when they’re not in power. Contrarily, Republicans often appear disinterested in that outcome.
My observations reflect a recurring Washington pattern during my career. That makes me believe Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, one of the Democrats who endorsed the government funding, when he told reporters, “I slept better last night for the first time since October 1; I no longer worry about confronting Capitol Police or what a furloughed worker might say to me in church or if someone brings up their SNAP benefits.”
It’s clear that Democrats prioritize ensuring people get the benefits they depend on. Throughout this shutdown, Trump and the Republicans demonstrated their disinterest in subsidies for a health insurance program associated with Obama while neglecting to consider the 40 million Americans relying on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. To them, SNAP appears merely a Democratic initiative.
In fact, the Trump administration even took to the courts to fight vehemently against extending SNAP funding available from a contingency account.
The Republican strategy during the shutdown has revolved around escalating the suffering of Americans, as they sought to lay off furloughed federal workers, fought against extending food stamp funding, and disrupted the nation’s air traffic control systems.
People are noticing this alarming pattern; it’s why Trump’s approval numbers have plummeted and Republicans continue to struggle in upcoming elections.
Democrats should find it straightforward to communicate this narrative, emphasizing their dedication to providing Trump and the Republicans with pathways to assist Americans by controlling escalating healthcare costs.
They stood firm, striving to mitigate misery atop social hardships, which was a realistic goal despite the sea of obstacles posed by the Republican wrecking crew holding the lives of countless Americans hostage in dire situations.
Yet once again, the burden fell on Democrats, as a fractured segment opted to prioritize keeping things reasonable.
While this scenario politically reflects poorly on Democrats and makes them appear weak, it doesn’t necessarily foretell a long-term failure for them.
To put it into perspective, the restoration of SNAP benefits and reimbursement of paychecks to federal workers are major developments. This isn’t an insignificant achievement; it represents a crucial lifeline for so many individuals.
However, it’s paramount to recognize that this shutdown spotlighted the importance of ACA healthcare subsidies. It gave a platform to millions of Americans who are already grappling with rising health coverage costs and exposed the GOP’s lack of empathy.
The crucial takeaway for Democrats is that they ventured into a high-stakes strategy. While political dividends came to fruition early on, the more cautious members soon chose to cut their losses.
Originally published on MSNBC.com
