Senate Minority Leader and the Senate Democratic leadership team stood their ground on the government shutdown, but at least eight moderate Senate Democrats betrayed 24 million Americans who are facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums and the 4 million who are going to lose their coverage completely, by cutting a terrible deal with Senate Republicans to reopen the government.
It is unknown at the time of publication who all of the moderates are, but they are being led by Shaheen and King.
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Sen. Tim Kaine is one of the moderates, and this is his reasoning for helping Trump kill 50,000 Americans a year:
This deal guarantees a vote to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, which Republicans weren’t willing to do. Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will.
This legislation will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I got passed in 2019. That’s a critical step that will help federal employees and all Americans who rely on government services. I’ll keep working towards a long-term government spending plan that includes critical priorities to support Virginians and funding for Virginia community projects.
The vote that Tim Kaine is so happy about was first offered to Democrats in mid-October. Democrats did get increased funding for SNAP through September, but Speaker Mike Johnson is refusing to allow a vote on the ACA subsidies in the House, and even if it passes, Trump will veto it.
That vote that the Senate will take isn’t going to the millions of people who are going to lose their health insurance any good.
It is worth repeating that, as much as Chuck Schumer gets criticized, this is not his deal. In the Senate, there is not much Schumer can do as minority leader if senators in his caucus decide to break ranks.
However, there is hope, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries is vowing to fight on.
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