Senate Democrats are rejecting Republican overtures to end the government shutdown, leading to accusations that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer
Senate Democrats are rejecting Republican overtures to end the government shutdown, leading to accusations that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is keeping the government hostage until all of his partisan demands are met.
A slew of Democrats told the Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday that they would not support ending the shutdown in exchange for a subsequent vote on their chief policy request: an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Democrats have insisted Republicans can’t be trusted to hold a vote on the subsidies and demand immediate action, even though the tax credits won’t expire until the end of the year.
“There’s no reason for us to wait,” Democratic Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal told the DCNF regarding Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s offer to hold a vote on the expiring Obamacare subsidies. “In fact, on the contrary, we need a commitment right now that the health care tax subsidies will be extended because people are making decisions right now about their health insurance and whether they can afford it.”
“I think one of the things that’s plaguing us right now is a lack of trust. And the way you get over a lack of trust is you get in a room, you look at the whites of each other’s eyes, and you negotiate like adults,” Democratic Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin told the DCNF.
