by Me.MD

Question:  Why?   

Answer:  Because “they” won’t do the right thing.  

Question:  Who is “they?”   

   Answer:  “They” is the other guy.  

Question:  And what is the right thing that “they” are supposed to do?

Answer:  “They” should vote for what I want.  

Answer:  “They” won’t negotiate.

Question:  Huh?

Answer:  “They” want to fund healthcare for illegal aliens.

Answer:  “They” are lying. 

Okay, children.  Everybody get back in your seats and open your textbooks.  History lesson:

THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (OBAMACARE):  On March 23, 2010 Barack Obama  signed the Affordable Care Act (ACA) into law, making health insurance widely available to Americans who were unable to get it before.  The law came into force in 2014 and, by 2016 the number of uninsured people in the U.S. was approximately cut in half.  

TAKE NOTE:  Obamacare was  NEVER available to undocumented immigrants.  Still isn’t.   And there are no plans to make it so.  NO ONE – INCLUDING NO DEMOCRAT — HAS EVER SUGGESTED that federal money should be used to fund healthcare for undocumented individuals.  Obamacare is for American citizens and some LEGAL immigrants ONLY.  

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY:  One feature of Obamacare was that the federal government provided subsidies to help pay insurance premiums for low income individuals and families.  In 2021 and 2022, under Joe Biden, the ARPA (American Rescue Plan) and the IRA (Inflation Reduction Act)  increased federal subsidies and made them available to a larger number of people.  As insurance became more affordable, the number of people with insurance increased.   

HERE’S THE RUB:  politics being what they are, Congress did not make the subsidies permanent.  Instead, the subsidies are scheduled to end as of the end of 2025 (THIS YEAR)!  Without those subsidies, premiums are expected to double or more, on average, for subsidized enrollees.  And, furthermore, insurance companies being what they are, premiums for private and employer-based  health insurance will rise along with Obamacare premiums.  

ENTER DONALD TRUMP:  On July 4, 2025 Donald Trump signed his “One Big Beautiful Bill” into law.  Republicans claimed it would do nothing but help the American people.  

People who actually read the bill claimed otherwise.  

Trump’s  bill makes major cuts to programs for poor people:  food assistance (SNAP), Medicaid.  

AND … Trumps bill  DID NOT extend subsidies for Obamacare premiums.  

Yep!  Those premiums are on their way up!  And so are everybody else’s premiums along with them!

AND THAT’S WHAT THE SHUT-DOWN IS ALL ABOUT!

Democrats are insisting they will not help pass a budget unless people are able to hang onto their health insurance!  That’s it.  Nothing about undocumented immigrants.  Nothing about trans-gender …. Whatever.  No.  They are asking for health insurance for ordinary Americans.  

Sure, Democrats have some other things they want:  Restore money for programs that help poor people:  food assistance, Medicaid.  But the bottom line, absolute ask is to restore the subsidies so people can keep their health insurance.  

And, sure, there’s lots more that Democrats and Republicans disagree about.  But health insurance is today’s fight.  

The end.