Condemn the eight senators who caved on the shutdown!

After weeks of holding out to try to force Republicans to come to the table on expiring healthcare subsidies that will send everyone’s premiums skyrocketing, a group of eight Senate Democrats — Tim Kaine of Virginia, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Dick Durbin of Illinois, and independent Angus King of Maine — decided to completely cave and give in to Republicans without Republicans having moved an inch. 

A total vindication of the Republican Party’s appalling decisions to play hardball by taking food stamp benefits hostage and firing thousands of federal workers, one must ask what the point of the past 40 days was if we’re just going to throw in the towel the second our party starts gaining momentum.

Condemn the eight Democrats who caved on the shutdown!

Outrage immediately erupted at all levels of the Democratic Party. “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” asked Rep. Ro Khanna. Sen. Sanders put it plainly, saying “Tonight, Democrats voted with Republicans to raise healthcare premiums for 20 million Americans and pave the way to kick 15 million off Medicaid. 60,000 will die every year, so the rich can get a trillion-dollar tax cut.”

“A deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a betrayal of millions of Americans counting on Democrats to fight for them,” said Rep. Greg Casar, the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “Republicans want health care cuts. Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn’t a compromise — it’s capitulation. Millions of families would pay the price.”

This is an absolutely unacceptable display of cowardice from these eight senators, and they need to hear our fury. 

Condemn the eight Democrats who caved on the shutdown!

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