Senator Jeanne Shaheen sounded foolish defending her stance to break from the Democratic leadership to reopen the federal government.
Last Tuesday’s elections showed voters are solidly behind the Democratic Party. And the Democratic base understands that the shutdown is about protecting ACA subsidies.
CNN host Kate Bolduan called out Shaheen for making a deal with Republicans on a “promise,” when Democrats need 60 votes to pass healthcare legislation.
BOLDUAN: You say you’re getting a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date on a bill that, as you said, the Democrats will be writing and it will not be Republicans who will write it with regard to health care subsidies.
If it needs 60 votes, Senator, what are the chances that this subsidy lives through the new year then? If you have to get if you have to get 60 votes, the chances are what that this survives the new year?
SHEEHAN: Well, I think finally, because of the shutdown fight, we’ve had a number of Republicans who have figured out that this is an issue for them.
This is not a red state issue or a blue state issue. It’s an issue about making sure that people can afford their health insurance. And so we’ve heard from a number of our colleagues on the other side of the aisle that they’re willing to come to the table.
They’re willing to work with us once the government’s open to get this done. We’ve heard the same thing from the White House.
So now we’ll see.
