Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., a Newsmax senior political analyst, said Sunday that Democrats are to blame for the ongoing government shutdown.
He argued that their demands for new spending tied to COVID-era healthcare programs show "a failure" of Obamacare.
"The Democrats own the shutdown for a couple of reasons," Santorum said on Newsmax's "Sunday Report." "They are the ones who are asking for something other than a straight extension of previous spending."
He noted that when he was in office, the deciding factor in every shutdown he was involved in included lawmakers asking for more than an extension.
"The biggest one was back in the 1990s, and Republicans were asking for something more than a straight continuing resolution," Santorum said. "The media said, 'You're asking for something different, therefore you're responsible.'"
Santorum said that this time, "the shoe's on the other foot," because Democrats are demanding hundreds of billions in new spending to extend pandemic-era programs that were meant to be temporary.
"They're asking for about $500 billion in the short term for a continuation of a program that was put in just for COVID," he said.
"Why? Because Obamacare is a failure," the former senator said. "Obamacare has driven up prices in the private-sector market, driven people off insurance, closed most private-sector insurance plans for individuals, and shifted everybody off to Medicaid. So they just need more money to cover up their failures."
Santorum added that while Republicans would be willing to negotiate fixes to the Affordable Care Act, Democrats have refused to make any fundamental changes.
"The Democrats have never been willing — or are not willing — to fix the ACA," he said.
"All they want to do is continue to throw more bad money after good, and good money after bad. That's not going to solve the problem."
Despite bipartisan calls for compromise, Santorum said the GOP won't be pressured into agreeing to new spending under a continuing resolution.
"Republicans are open to doing that," he said, "but they're not going to be held with a gun to their head on a continuing resolution to do that after the fact."
GET TODAY NEWSMAX+:
NEWSMAX is the fastest-growing cable news channel in America with more than 30 million people watching!
Reuters Institute reports NEWSMAX is one of the top news brands in the U.S.
You need to watch NEWSMAX today.
Get it with great shows from Rob Schmitt, Greta Van Susteren, Greg Kelly, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty – and many more!
Find the NEWSMAX channel on your cable system – Go Here Now
BEST OFFER:
Sign up for NEWSMAX+ and get NEWSMAX, our streaming channel NEWSMAX2 and our military channel World at War.
Find hundreds of shows, movies and specials.
Even get Jon Voight’s special series and President Trump’s comedy programs and much more!
Watch NEWSMAX+ on your smartphone or home TV app.
Watch NEWSMAX anytime, anywhere!
Start your FREE trial now: NewsmaxPlus.com
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.