On Monday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) argued that the government shutdown is the fault of Republicans because they’re in charge of the House, Senate, and White House and said that “if they want the votes necessary to pass a resolution, they have to work with Democrats or go the President’s route with a nuclear option of eliminating the filibuster.”
McBride said, “Look, it’s on Republicans to figure this out. They control the House, the Senate, and the White House.”
Co-host Brianna Keilar then cut in to ask, “[Y]ou know in the Senate, there’s a 60 vote threshold. The president is calling for that, the nuclear option to get rid of that. And I hear what you’re saying, you’re saying Republicans are making a choice. Democrats are also making a choice, and it has to do with these Medicaid cuts and it has to do with these ACA subsidies, yes, but it is also a choice, right? And CNN has polling out today that shows 58% of Americans are disapproving of, yes, Republican congressional leaders, how they’re handling this, but 58% are disapproving of how Democratic congressional leaders are handling it. 61% disapproving of how President Trump is handling it. So, all of you are being held to account here. What is your read of what that poll is saying?”
McBride answered, “No one wants a shutdown. That’s what that poll is saying. And time and time again, Senate Democrats have voted for a continuing resolution that opens government and solves this healthcare crisis. Republicans have chosen to vote against that. They have every opportunity to work with us to do both of these things, and they know that we do not have the luxury of waiting. As you mentioned, open enrollment started on the 1st. There’s not the luxury of time here, and Republicans need to wake up to that fact. But I think the reality is, no one wants a shutdown. Democrats don’t want a shutdown. The American people don’t want a shutdown. We also don’t want to see healthcare premiums skyrocket. And Republicans are so committed to health care being cut that they are willing to resist any kind of negotiation, and they are willing to subject this country to a shutdown because they don’t want to protect health care. That’s the reality of it, and that’s the choice that they’re making.”
Keilar then asked, “But isn’t it also true that Democrats don’t want those cuts, and so they are willing to subject the country to a shutdown as well? This is a choice about different priorities, different values, but it requires the votes of both parties.”
McBride responded, “It’s a false choice to have to choose between keeping government open and solving this healthcare crisis. We’re choosing to fight for both. Republicans are choosing to fight for only one. And the reality is, is if they want the votes necessary to pass a resolution, they have to work with Democrats or go the President’s route with a nuclear option of eliminating the filibuster. They have a choice on how they want to pursue the path forward on that. But if they want votes to have a continuing resolution, they’re going to have to work with Democrats. That’s the reality of democracy. That’s the reality of representative government. That’s the reality of the United States Senate. And they are putting forward to the American people a false choice.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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