🤖 AI Summary
Overview
This episode delves into the U.S. government shutdown, focusing on the Democrats' strategy to center the political fight on rising health care costs. Journalists Margot Sanger-Katz and Shane Goldmacher explore the origins of this strategy, its risks, and its historical parallels, while also examining the Republican response.
Notable Quotes
- Enrollment in Obamacare has more than doubled, and most of the increase has been in Republican states.
- Margot Sanger-Katz, on the unexpected beneficiaries of expanded health care subsidies.
- The issue isn’t just, do you win this temporary argument around the shutdown? It can also be, do you win the long-term argument of what your party is seen fighting for?
- Shane Goldmacher, on the broader stakes of the Democrats' strategy.
🩺 Health Care Costs and the Shutdown
- Democrats argue the shutdown is about preventing skyrocketing health care costs, as subsidies for Obamacare are set to expire.
- Margot Sanger-Katz explains that without these subsidies, premiums could increase by an average of 114%, with some middle-income Americans facing up to $20,000 more annually.
- The expiration of subsidies disproportionately affects Republican-led states, where enrollment in Obamacare has surged.
📜 The Political Gamble of Expiring Subsidies
- During the Biden administration, Democrats extended subsidies temporarily, betting they could negotiate a permanent extension later.
- This gamble failed when Republicans gained control and passed tax cuts without addressing health care subsidies.
- Democrats now hope the widespread impact of expiring subsidies will pressure Republicans to negotiate.
📊 Historical Playbook: Health Care as a Winning Issue
- Shane Goldmacher recalls how Democrats successfully used health care as a central issue in the 2018 midterms, flipping 40 House seats.
- In 2018, Democrats framed Republicans as threats to health care, leveraging public trust in their party on this issue.
- The current strategy mirrors this approach, but with the added challenge of a non-election year.
🛑 Republican Counterstrategy
- Republicans focus on framing the shutdown as the Democrats' fault, emphasizing its disruption.
- They pivot to immigration, accusing Democrats of prioritizing health care for undocumented immigrants—a claim not supported by the subsidies in question.
- Both parties are retreating to their safe spaces,
with Democrats emphasizing health care and Republicans focusing on immigration and fiscal responsibility.
🎲 Risks of the Shutdown Strategy
- Democrats risk alienating voters by appearing to prioritize political demands over reopening the government.
- The longer the shutdown persists, the greater the potential backlash as Americans feel its effects.
- Despite these risks, Democrats hope to solidify their image as champions of affordable health care, betting this will resonate in the long term.
AI-generated content may not be accurate or complete and should not be relied upon as a sole source of truth.
📋 Episode Description
As the U.S. government shutdown enters its second day, Democrats are trying to underline that the growing political fight is all about the rising cost of health care.
The New York Times journalists Margot Sanger-Katz and Shane Goldmacher explain why the Democrats are betting on this strategy and who is to blame for the impasse.
Guest:
- Margot Sanger-Katz, a reporter for The New York Times who covers health care policy and government spending.
- Shane Goldmacher, a national political correspondent for The New York Times.
Background reading:
- The Trump administration forged ahead with plans to conduct mass layoffs as the fiscal standoff appeared to intensify.
- President Trump has made lowering health care costs a key priority, even as Democrats warn that those costs will skyrocket.
For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.
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