Let’s remember, Democrats voted for a clean funding bill numerous times before deciding not to vote for the exact same thing, wanting a fight. Now, their constituents who Dems like to keep poor and voting Democrat will get hit
Food-aid cliff bears down on Democrats as shutdown nears 1-month mark
Missed paychecks, canceled infrastructure projects and mass firings haven’t yet convinced congressional Democrats to change their government shutdown stance. But they are now facing down another pressure point threatening a program they’ve long championed benefiting millions of Americans.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps feed more than 40 million people, will start to run out of funds Nov. 1, President Donald Trump’s USDA is warning. At least 25 states plan to cut off benefits starting on that date — including California, the overwhelmingly Democratic state with 4.5 million SNAP recipients.
The food-aid cliff has largely flown under the radar as Democrats focus on another Nov. 1 development: the launch of open enrollment for Affordable Care Act insurance plans in most states. They believe massive premium hikes prompted by the expiration of key federal subsidies will compel Republicans to relent and negotiate an extension at that time.
So far, despite the possible food assistance fallout in just over a week, top Democrats are pushing ahead and refusing to shore up the votes to reopen the government.
Asked Tuesday if the cliff would change his party’s calculus, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it would not: “It should change Republicans’ calculus, that they should sit down and negotiate — negotiate a way to address this crisis.”
Let’s not forget what this is all about, as Speaker Johnson notes
(Breitbart) Let’s remember the true origins of the boondoggle that is American health care. Under Obamacare, Democrats wrote that bill. They passed it into law without a single Republican vote. During the COVID pandemic, Democrats created temporary Obamacare credits, again without a single Republican vote. Democrats then voted to extend those credits. They set the expiration date on and then when they held the majority in the Senate, it was Democrats who chose not to extend those credits beyond this year. Now, as we approach their own self imposed expiration date, now they are breathlessly insisting to you and on all the interviews that somehow it’s a Republican crisis.
They created this issue to start with. All the data said this would happen, though, COVID skyrocketed the costs, which was not part of the initial assessments. And here’s Hakeem Jeffries
Host Chris Hayes asked, “What do you say to people who say, look, the subsidies at issue were first passed during COVID as an emergency measure. They have been extended now, it’s 2025. Is there some fundamental failure of the Affordable Care Act or the entire system, if, absent this kind of band-aid, you’re going to see these sort of price spikes?”
Jeffries answered, “Well, listen, we believe that our healthcare system is broken and it’s in need of comprehensive reform. Republicans, of course, have aggravated that situation in the most extraordinary way and in a variety of [ways], largest cut to Medicaid in American history. Their policies are closing hospitals and nursing homes and community-based health clinics all across the country. Of course, they’re assaulting medical research, have basically shut that down in the country. They want to trigger the largest cut to Medicare at the end of the year, $536 billion. And, of course, this issue with their refusal to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits. (part of a much longer quote)
Wasn’t Ocare supposed to fix the health insurance system? Or, was it the whole healthcare system? No one was ever clear on that during the debate over Ocare all the way back when it was passed up through when it went into effect in 2013. Maybe they should be negotiating on how to actually fix the mess, not throw more and bigger subsidies. Perhaps the answer to this shutdown should be “let’s keep the subsidies for a year, let’s make sure people get their food assistance, work towards creating an insurance system that actually works, and open the government.”
Healthcare for illegals, DEI projects in foreign countries, get rid of border security, and more.
Oddly enough, local news is carrying a story about DC area food banks running on empty due to all the Feds getting basic assistance there. Food banks say running on empty is a normal thing for them because people like free stuff.
If find that odd that federal government employees in DC, who are known for being VERY well paid, can’t find ways to feed themselves without going to food banks, after only 1 paycheck is delayed.
Food bank workers will tell you that in this area there are two primary users of food bank aid: Blacks and immigrants. Studies of those people and how they use food assistance shows that if the food bank network did not exist, those people would just go somewhere else to get food. They use it because it is there and because it is free. Meanwhile, food banks use the statistics of people coming in the door as evidence that Americans are suffering massive food insecurity and therefore fundraising is needed.
Prof Hale seems to think that a large fraction of the people living in DC are in fact employed by the Federal Government. That is an untrue assumption. Actually only a small fraction about 1/7 work for the federal governmental, 6 out of 7 do not.
He wants us to believe differently creating the easily defeated “straw man argument”
It is somewhat amusing to think he might not even realize that weakness
Helter-skelter president!! Beside pledging $20-40 billion to prop up Argentina’s economy and supporting their soybean sales to China now…
++++On Sunday, Trump suggested to reporters that the U.S. might also buy Argentine beef, saying such a purchase would help bring down prices in the U.S.
But with Argentina having undercut U.S. soybean farmers in the Chinese market, U.S. cattle farmers met this suggestion with anger. As Lori Ann LaRocco of CNBC reported today, they say that their own herds are dwindling because of drought and the parasitic screwworm* and that the government isn’t doing enough to address those problems.++++
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* ‘parasitic screwworm’ refers to the actual bovine pest and not the common nickname Donald Trump Jr.
LOL. Are we supposed to believe that William, the MAGA Covians, King Donnie, MAGAts and libertarians FAVOR food aid to the poor? The f’king One Big Beautiful Bill Act CUTS food aid by about 20%:
++++applying work requirements to more people (ages 55–64 and those with children aged 14+), cutting benefits for some lawful permanent residents, removing some exemptions for ABAWD time limits, and requiring states to share more administrative costs.++++
At least Congress cut taxes on the wealthy!
Said Senator Warren (D-MA): “We’re people who want Americans to have health care AND food,” she added. “The Republicans, evidently, don’t care whether they have either.”
Why, if the Repubicuns are cutting SNAP, WiC and Health Care does their Big Beautiful Bill Act ADD to the debt???
BTW, since King Donnie is having a hard time raising the now $300 million cost to demolish the East Wing of our White House he’s lobbying the taxpayers for $230 million to pay for his defense lawyer expenses!!! His attorney, now Deputy AG Blanche Todd can approve the payout!!!
This is King Donnie’s country and we’re just lucky he let’s us “exist” here.
“At least congress cut taxes on the wealthy”.
And every other income group as well..
Yet, the working class barely keeps their heads above water while our powerful plutocrats get ever richer.
One of trump’s controllers, Elon Musk now has more resources than 50% of Americans. One man has more money than the poorest 160,000,000 Americans combined.
Elon, the Kochs, Bessent, Zuck, Gates, the Waltons, Ballmer, Brin, Huang and 800 more U.S. billionaires now control trump, hence America. And don’t forget Putin, plus the Qataris, Saudis, Chinese billionaires et al who influence trump.
Do youse fascists believe that dollars are speech re Citizens United? Should the ultra-wealthy be able to spend unlimited amounts of elections? After all, Elon got trump47 “elected”, spending a ballroom’s worth ($300 million) in the final weeks of the election.
8 out of the top 10 states that have highest per capita EBT use are red states.
Another case of the richer blue states paying to feed our poorer red states. Lol and then demanding how to decide unilaterally how to spend the blue state money ! We would actually prefer to hear an occasional “thank you”
In terms of total recipients, California leads due to its large population, followed by Texas and New York. However, states like New Mexico, West Virginia, and Oregon have the highest percentage of households receiving assistance, with 20% and 18% respectively.
Thank you.