The Senate Minority Leader and the Senate Democratic leadership team stood firm on the government shutdown, but at least eight moderate Senate Democrats have betrayed 24 million Americans facing skyrocketing health insurance premiums and the 4 million who will lose their coverage entirely by making a terrible deal with Senate Republicans to reopen the government.
At the time of publication it is unknown who all the moderates are, but they are led by Shaheen and King.
Senator 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 the Affordable Care Act’s premium tax credits, which Republicans have been unwilling to do. Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they may well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will.
This legislation will protect federal workers from unwarranted layoffs, reinstate those wrongfully fired during the shutdown, and ensure that federal workers receive back their wages as required by a law I passed in 2019. That’s a critical step that will help federal workers and all Americans who rely on government services. I will continue to work on a long-term government spending plan that includes critical priorities to support Virginians and fund Virginia community projects.
The vote that Tim Kaine is so happy with 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 of Representatives, and even if the vote passes, Trump will veto it.
The vote that the Senate will take will do no good to the millions of people who will lose their health insurance.
It’s worth repeating that as much as Chuck Schumer is criticized, this is not his deal. In the Senate, Schumer can’t do much as minority leader if senators in his caucus decide to break ranks.
There is hope, however, as House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vows to fight on.
The story continues below.
