Progressives Tell Dems Thinking of Capitulating to GOP on Shutdown: 'You Cave, You Lose'

As the Senate Democratic caucus met privately on Thursday to discuss the party's approach to the ongoing government shutdown following key electoral victories earlier this week, progressives sent a message to any centrists thinking of breaking ranks: "You cave, you lose."

Those were the words of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who has vocally warned Democrats against abandoning their push for an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies as a necessary condition for any deal with the GOP to end the shutdown—now the longest in US history.

"Trump claims he is 'a dealmaker.' Well, Mr. President: Let's make a deal today," Sanders wrote in a social media post on Thursday. "Stop the doubling of healthcare premiums for 20 million Americans. Stop 15 million from losing their healthcare. Immediately reopen the government. What are you waiting for?"

Assuming a united Republican caucus, the GOP needs the support of at least seven Democratic senators to break the 60-vote filibuster in the upper chamber and pass government funding legislation.

Thus far, Republicans have refused to negotiate on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies as long as the government is shut down, even as people across the country see eye-popping premium hikes. Rather than cutting a deal on the ACA tax credits, President Donald Trump has pushed Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the shutdown without Democratic support.

The Hill reported that Thursday's Senate Democratic caucus meeting was expected to include discussion of a potential deal that would entail a vote on the ACA subsidies "in some form" in exchange for a government funding agreement—though the details are nowhere near finalized.

It's also far from clear that House Republicans, led by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), would agree to a vote, even if Senate Republicans backed such a compromise.

"Voters have sent a resounding message: We want leaders who fight for us, and we want solutions that make life more affordable."

Ahead of Democrats' meeting, Republicans floated a new offer that would reportedly entail "rehiring federal workers who have been laid off during the shutdown as part of a deal to end it," according to Politico.

That would meet a demand of Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), one of the Senate Democrats seen as most likely to support a government funding package without an extension of the ACA subsidies. The others include Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.).

"Moderate Senate Democrats who are looking for an off-ramp right now are completely missing the moment," Katie Bethell, political director of the progressive advocacy group MoveOn, told the Associated Press on Thursday, pointing to the results of this week's elections.

"Voters have sent a resounding message: We want leaders who fight for us, and we want solutions that make life more affordable," said Bethell.

Polling data released Thursday by Groundwork Action and Hart Research Associates shows that a strong plurality of US voters are "more favorable toward Democrats and the Democratic Party" over their decision to make soaring healthcare costs the "main focus" of their shutdown messaging and demands.

Lindsay Owens, executive director of Groundwork Action, said the new polling shows that "voters are fed up with President Trump's economic policies and want candidates who will fight to lower costs and rein in healthcare prices."

"With both the message and momentum on their side, now is not the time to back down," Owens added. "Democrats must continue their fight to deliver for working families and reverse Trump’s healthcare price hikes."

Boosting progressives' case, some Senate Democrats have openly scoffed at the idea of agreeing to a deal to reopen the government in exchange for a mere commitment from the GOP to vote on the enhanced ACA tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year with potentially devastating consequences for millions of people across the country.

Speaking to the Washington Post, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) said the notion that Democrats "should have some level of trust that they're going to deal with us and deal with the American people in an equitable way, I think, is just laughable."

Gallego said he would not support legislation to end the shutdown "unless there's somehow assurances that insurance rate premiums aren’t going to double for 24 million Americans."