The longest-ever federal government shutdown ended on the 10th with the Senate’s passage of a temporary budget bill, but the conflict between Republicans and Democrats over the extension of subsidies for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) is expected to continue.<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump said on the 11th, “We won a big victory over the Democrats,” as the budget bill passed the Senate without the Affordable Care Act extension that Democrats had persistently demanded. The previous day, the Senate passed the Republican-led budget bill despite opposition from Democratic leaders, thanks to defection votes from centrist Democrats.<\/p>\n
The package passed three bills, including a temporary budget bill to keep the government running until January 30th, as well as budget bills for the Department of Agriculture, military installation construction and veterans\u2019 affairs, and legislative operations for fiscal year 2026.<\/p>\n
Republicans had been trying to persuade Democrats to pass this budget by promising to reverse the federal government layoffs that occurred after the shutdown and to “hold a Senate vote on extending Obamacare subsidies by next month.”<\/p>\n
However, Democratic leaders, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, as well as most Democratic lawmakers, opposed the Republican-proposed compromise, arguing that it did not guarantee an extension of Obamacare subsidies. Even if it were brought to a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate and House, it was unlikely to pass.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, seven centrist Democrats and one independent, who favored the Democratic Party, joined the bill, arguing that a prolonged shutdown would have a greater negative impact on the public. This gave the Republican Party (53 members) the 60 votes needed to end the Democratic Party’s filibuster in the Senate. The budget bill, having passed the Senate, now awaits a vote in the House and President Trump’s signature.<\/p>\n
The Democratic Party is still reeling from the budget bill’s passage. Supporters who had hoped the Democratic Party would stand up to the Republicans more forcefully after their victory in the local elections on the 4th are expressing disappointment that they have “given in to the Republicans without securing health insurance subsidies.” Some within the party have even called for Senate Majority Leader Schumer’s resignation for failing to crack down on “defections.”<\/p>\n
However, some predict that in the long term, not extending the health insurance subsidy program will pose a significant political risk to President Trump and the Republican Party.<\/p>\n
This is because, when the Obamacare subsidy program expires at the end of this year, millions of Americans who receive Obamacare benefits will face higher health insurance premiums next year.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the fallout from the failure to extend the Obamacare subsidy program could negatively impact the Republican Party, which holds sway ahead of the midterm elections next November, which will elect members of the House and Senate.<\/p>\n
For President Trump, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term, next year’s midterm elections are crucial, as they will determine the momentum for his final two years in office. Senate Majority Leader Schumer, a Democrat, told the press, “We wanted to fix that issue (extending the subsidy program), but the Republicans said ‘no,’ and now it’s their responsibility.”<\/p>\n
President Trump has called Obamacare “the worst health care system in the world,” one that extends health care benefits to undocumented immigrants and enriches insurance companies and has announced plans to directly distribute health insurance subsidies to Americans. However, a specific roadmap has not yet been released.<\/p>\n
The Washington Post (WP) reported, “The fallout from Obamacare will soon be felt,” adding, “Democrats lost the shutdown battle, but Trump and the Republicans risk losing the war.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"