On Tuesday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) responded to Republican arguments that the subsidies at issue in the government shutdown are COVID-era subsidies and have helped the wealthy at a disproportionate rate by saying that no costs have fallen since COVID.
After Rosen referenced health care, co-host Boris Sanchez asked, “The argument from Republicans has been that that’s a conversation that can be had after the government is re-opened. It seems like you don’t have faith in those assurances. I also wonder what you make of their argument that these are COVID-era subsidies that are going to expire, and that, because of a lifted cap on income during COVID, these subsidies have disproportionately helped wealthy people and not those who need it most. What’s your response?”
Rosen responded, “Well, I can tell you that, has any cost come down since COVID? [Have] insurance premiums come down since COVID? Has the price of anything come down since Donald Trump’s been the president? No. And so, — but my faith in Republicans is low. Why? Because, in March, we kept the government open, hoping to have these conversations, understanding that November 1, just a couple of weeks away, everyone’s going to have to make one of the most important decisions they can make for themselves and their family. What kind of insurance, if any, can they afford or do they get? And what choices will they have to make? And so, again, I’m focused on the kitchen table. Every important thing in people’s lives happens at the kitchen table, from the morning breakfast every day with your family, to all the joys, all the parties, also those tough conversations about what bills you pay and what bills you won’t, what you’ll give up and what you’ll take care of. And so, it is important, when it comes to people’s health, that we make sure that they can afford that. That’s why we want a conversation. They’ve had six months to discuss it with us, no news that this was coming. They haven’t chosen to do that. Our faith is a little bit low right now. They invite us into Thune’s office, a group of us, we can put some issues on the table, they put theirs, we put ours. I bet we can come to agreement on quite a few things to get the government open and get some health care back in people’s pockets.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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