Democrats' Own Party Cuts Them Down in Shutdown Vote Debacle
A bitter taste of defeat for Democrats as a coalition of eight party centrists voted to bring an end to the longest government shutdown in US history, handing over the reins to Republican lawmakers who have refused to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quick to express her outrage, slamming Democrats for "failing to hold the line" and failing the working class. Her scathing rebuke echoed sentiments from other Democratic leaders, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who called the deal an "empty promise", and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who bluntly labeled it "pathetic".
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took aim at the coalition, stating that the deal was ineffective for tens of millions of everyday Americans. He vowed to resist any spending legislation advanced by Republican senators that fails to extend ACA tax credits.
But not everyone shared his sentiment, as Rep. Ro Khanna targeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a scathing rebuke, saying he had become "no longer effective" and needed to be replaced.
New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill joined the chorus of discontent, labeling the deal "malpractice". She argued that Democratic leadership has consistently failed to represent the people.
In contrast, veteran senators Dick Durbin and Tim Kaine defended the vote, arguing that Republican senators' constituents would expect them to support legislation, or risk being replaced at the ballot box. However, Sen. Bernie Sanders was less forgiving, describing Sunday night's developments as "a very bad night".
As the process moves forward, it remains uncertain whether the bill will pass, but one thing is clear: Democrats are reeling from their own party's betrayal, and the fate of affordable healthcare hangs precariously in the balance.
A bitter taste of defeat for Democrats as a coalition of eight party centrists voted to bring an end to the longest government shutdown in US history, handing over the reins to Republican lawmakers who have refused to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was quick to express her outrage, slamming Democrats for "failing to hold the line" and failing the working class. Her scathing rebuke echoed sentiments from other Democratic leaders, including Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who called the deal an "empty promise", and California Governor Gavin Newsom, who bluntly labeled it "pathetic".
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries took aim at the coalition, stating that the deal was ineffective for tens of millions of everyday Americans. He vowed to resist any spending legislation advanced by Republican senators that fails to extend ACA tax credits.
But not everyone shared his sentiment, as Rep. Ro Khanna targeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a scathing rebuke, saying he had become "no longer effective" and needed to be replaced.
New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill joined the chorus of discontent, labeling the deal "malpractice". She argued that Democratic leadership has consistently failed to represent the people.
In contrast, veteran senators Dick Durbin and Tim Kaine defended the vote, arguing that Republican senators' constituents would expect them to support legislation, or risk being replaced at the ballot box. However, Sen. Bernie Sanders was less forgiving, describing Sunday night's developments as "a very bad night".
As the process moves forward, it remains uncertain whether the bill will pass, but one thing is clear: Democrats are reeling from their own party's betrayal, and the fate of affordable healthcare hangs precariously in the balance.
The recent turn of events has left me questioning the efficacy of Democratic leadership 
. While it's understandable that some centrists may have wanted to negotiate with Republicans, the consequences of this compromise are dire 
. The Progressive wing is rightfully upset, and I can't blame them for feeling let down 
. This debacle has raised questions about the ability of Democrats to effectively represent the interests of their working-class constituents 
. On one hand, we have leaders like Dick Durbin and Tim Kaine who are trying to find a middle ground, but on the other, you have Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Ro Khanna who are calling for a more radical approach 
. It's clear that the party is divided, and this may impact the Democrats' ability to pass legislation in the future 
.
democrats were supposed to be fighting for the working class but instead they're just as complicit as republicans when it comes to affordable care 
i'm so done with both parties playing politics over people's lives. we need real change, not empty promises and deals made behind closed doors 
what happened to progressive values like solidarity and putting people first? 
honestly cant believe democrats just went ahead with this deal...think about all those americans relying on affordable care act subsidies and now its all up to republican lawmakers who have been super vocal about cutting funding for it 
what kinda politics is that? 
. And I feel bad for the progressive side of the party, they're being really hard hit by this deal.
. As someone who relies on ACA subsidies myself, it's scary to think about what would happen if those were cut off 
. But for now, it feels like the party is just spinning its wheels 
. Meanwhile, I'm just over here thinking, "Why didn't they just negotiate?" 
This whole thing is just a mess 
. It's like they're all playing some kind of politics game and I'm just over here watching from the sidelines, wondering when it's all going to blow up 
.
. It's like they're playing politics instead of actually helping people. The whole Affordable Care Act thing is such an important issue and now it's being held hostage by these party centrists who don't even represent the views of their own party...it just doesn't make sense 
IT'S LIKE, I GET IT, REP AOC IS PASSIONATE BUT COME ON GUYS, YOU CAN'T JUST GO WILD IN A VOTE WITHOUT THINKING IT THROUGH!!! 
and what's up with the GUVs? JB AND GAVIN ARE RIPPING EACH OTHER APART OVER THIS DEAL!! 
BUT SERIOUSLY FOLKS, THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS VOTE COULD BE HUGE FOR MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO RELY ON THOSE SUBSIDIES!!! 
they just got taken down by their own centrists and now we're paying the price for it 
we need some true representation from our dem leaders instead of this backroom deal-making 
, but taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture might be just what we need 
. These Democratic leaders are feeling pretty hurt right now 
. Let's take this as an opportunity to examine ourselves, reflect on our values, and figure out how we can grow from this experience 
.
but at the same time theres these other reps who are trying to blame senate leaders like chuck schumer for not doing enough 