As the government shutdown enters its fourth week, Democrats are urging Republicans to consider changes related to healthcare, particularly Affordable Care Act tax credits that are scheduled to expire at the end of the year.
Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., told Newsmax on Wednesday that the shutdown has forced Democrats to admit that the law, known as "Obamacare," "has been a disaster for working families."
"These are temporary subsidies for over 400% of the federal poverty level. The Democrats are trying to conflate that with all sorts of other issues.
"But I do think it's actually an important acknowledgment on their part."
"They're admitting that Obamacare has been a disaster for working families. The ACA, even The Washington Post said the Affordable Care Act was never actually affordable," Schmitt said on "Rob Schmitt Tonight."
The senator noted that Americans have seen their healthcare costs rise.
"They've skyrocketed. ... Employers dropped their employer coverage for people. They were forced onto the exchanges. It's too expensive," Schmitt said.
"If the Democrats want to have a debate about this, we should have a debate about reform and actually lowering the cost of healthcare.
"But that's not what this is about. This is about the Democrats [being] afraid of their own shadow."
"They're afraid of the radical base getting mad at them if they actually pass a clean funding bill, which is what Republicans have offered," Schmitt added.
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James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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