Dems accuse GOP of gutting healthcare; SNAP benefits at risk
During the COVID pandemic, the Democrat majority in Congress voted to greatly expand healthcare coverage, but to require that the increased coverage expire on the last day of this year).
Democrats increased both the number of people receiving subsidized coverage and the permissible income of recipients. Under the new parameters an individual could earn a salary far above the poverty level and still qualify for subsidized care. This year, the Republicans’ Big Beautiful Bill reaffirmed the Democrats’ sunset provision and envisioned the expanded coverage ending the last day of December.
Now, the Democrats are accusing Republicans of gutting healthcare because they are following through with the Democrats’ own proposal. Republicans, for their part, respond that the COVID national healthcare emergency is over and the provisions temporarily put in place because of it no longer have a reason for existing.
The country is facing potential bankruptcy and it’s idiotic to spend billions of dollars extra on coverage that the Democrats themselves have long seen as being merely temporary.
The Democrats have responded by shutting down the government in order to obtain “leverage” in the upcoming budget talks.
Meanwhile, nobody really knows which party is being blamed for the shutdown. On the one hand, one poll shows that President Donald Trump’s approval rating is up. On the other hand, another poll indicates that slightly more voters blame Republicans than Democrats for the closing. Usually, with generous help from a biased media, the party in power is held responsible.
The fact is, however, that this time just about every Republican in the House and Senate has voted repeatedly to reopen the government and all but three Democrats have voted to keep the government closed. The president has moved funds around as much as permitted by law to assure that the military is paid at least temporarily. He is, however, running out of options.
The Air Traffic Controllers, for their part, are now working without pay. As a result, many are calling in sick in order to work side hustles. Some flights have been delayed or grounded. This is going to get far worse in the very near future.
The big issue at the moment, however, is the loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. The Treasury Department says it’s out of money to provide free food. Two Democrat judges say the law requires that the Agriculture Department use emergency funds to pay for said food.
Agriculture responds that provisions surrounding the emergency funds will not allow them to be shifted for use in this particular instance. The funds appear to be reserved for use during natural disasters such as hurricanes and floods. The matter will be appealed and the Supreme Court will eventually have to determine how those funds can be used. The whole appeals process, however, appears rather silly since there are only enough emergency funds on hand to pay for an additional two weeks of food aid.
Congressional Democrats have in the past voted for continuing resolutions exactly like the current one to keep the government open until budget debates and subsequent votes determine how money will eventually be spent (on healthcare). They also admit that their refusal to vote for the continuing resolution is causing and will cause constituents considerable pain.
Republicans, for their part, vow they will never agree to an additional wasteful trillion dollars to keep the Democrats happy. It looks like food banks may have to radically expand their services. Travelers may also have to start opting for long-range automobile travel instead of flying the friendly but increasingly dangerous skies. The era of excessive free stuff may well be coming to an end.