The Democrats Had A Winning Hand - But They Folded Anyway!

 

The "big beautiful bill" passed by congressional Republicans and signed into law by Donald Trump was not good for most Americans. While it made huge tax cuts for the rich and corporations permanent, it did so at the expense of millions of ordinary Americans who are struggling. 

It made huge cuts to Medicaid that will take health care from millions (and hasten the closing of many rural hospitals). It made cuts to the SNAP (food stamp) program that will deny food aid to many. And it eliminated expanded subsidies for the Affordable Care Act - causing premiums to rise (doubling or tripling for many) for millions of Americans (making that health insurance unaffordable).

When Republicans tried to pass a budget resolution last September to keep the government running, Democrats decided to make a stand for ordinary Americans. They decided to block the passage of that bill until the Republicans reinstated the eliminated ACA subsidies. They chose that issue because it was the one that would affect Americans first (the Medicaid cuts wouldn't happen until after the 2026 election).

The Democratic filibuster of the GOP budget resolution stopped it from passing - and the federal government was shut down. Republicans and pundits thought the Democrats were making a mistake and would be blamed for the shutdown.

But that didn't happen. Even after a month of the shutdown, polls showed that most people blamed the Republicans (and Trump) for the shutdown. And that was verified by a blue wave in the November election, showing the voting public was very unhappy with Republican actions.

In other words, the Democrats had the support of the people. They were holding the winning hand! The shutdown would probably have lasted a few more weeks, but public pressure was building against the Republicans - and they would eventually have had to reinstate the ACA subsidies to get the government open. It would have to happen because the Democrats were staying united.

That changed over the weekend. Seven Democrats and one Independent (who votes with Democrats) chickened out. They folded. They gave in. They knuckled under. Whatever you call it, they gave up and voted with Republicans to reopen the government - and they did it without getting the ACA subsidies restored. Here are the cowardly senators:

Some of them said it had become obvious that the Republicans would not give in. But that's because they know the Democrats have a history of giving in so they expected that. The Democrats needed to stay united and hold out until the GOP believed them.

Some said they got a promise from the Republicans that a vote would be held on the ACA subsidies. But even if that vote was held, there are no assurances it would pass. In fact, it extremely doubtful that the subsidy restoration would pass. That's because the Republicans hate the Affordable Care Act. They have tried dozens of times to overturn it. And this is their best chance to seriously damage it by making it too expensive for millions.

Some said the Republicans have been exposed as being against health insurance being guaranteed for most Americans, and this will hurt them in the next election. Maybe. But by folding a winning hand, the Democrats have also been exposed as a party that won't fight for Americans - a party that gives up when the going gets tough.

This means the voters in 2026 will have to choose between a party with bad policies and a party that doesn't have the guts to fight for its policies. That's NOT a good choice.

Frankly, I'm disgusted.