Do you have a dumb question that you're kind of embarrassed to ask in the main thread? Is there something you're just not sure about?
This is your opportunity to ask questions. No question too simple or too silly.
Culture war topics are accepted, and proposals for a better intro post are appreciated.
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
Can anyone explain the government shutdown to me? I haven't followed the story at all. If you consider yourself to be aligned with the Democrats, I'd especially like to hear your perspective.
After not following the news at all since the beginning, I casually overheard on Fox News that "the Democrats are keeping the government shut down over Obamacare". I assumed that that couldn't be right. Surely the whole thing couldn't be happening because of any one policy issue; there had to be more to the Democrats' side of the story. But then I started reading reddit comments and the consensus from leftists seemed to be that, yes, we really are keeping the government shut down over Obamacare, and this is Good and Righteous.
My initial reaction is that this seems rather petulant and childish on the part of the Democrats, because I think the minority generally should be expected to make concessions to the majority, but that's where my factual knowledge essentially ends so I'll let other people argue the case.
If the Republicans actually wanted to end the shutdown, they could do so immediately without Democrat support by changing Senate rules to make voting on clean continuing resolutions not subject to the filibuster. They could also change the number required for cloture from 60 to, say, 55 if the point was that a simple majority is too dangerous. Extending the enhanced ACA subsidies is also very popular with voters (~80% approve). It feels like the compromise to extend them for a year isn't a huge ask. Republicans could counter with only extending the enhanced subsides for those under 400% of the FPL, which would probably be accepted. If you want your opponents to do something for you (give you a few votes), you have to give them something. And, to reiterate, the shutdown could be ended without any Democrat votes.
It is, because then we get the exact same problem next year except with additional force towards the idea that this is status quo rather than an emergency Covid measure, and that the Republicans are willing to cave on this issue. Maybe if you extend them for 10 months or something so next budget time it's too late and they've already expired, but I doubt the Democrats would agree to that.
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link
More options
Context Copy link