Let's talk about Trump's shutdown_ week 2 begins....

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Belle of the Ranch 4 min 1 speaker 5 chapters transcribed 1 month ago

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What is the overall focus of Trump’s shutdown discussion in week two?

Belle of the Ranch 0:01

Well, howdy there, internet people, it's Bell again. So today we're going to talk about Trump's shutdown. Week two begins. There are different ways of counting the shutdown. We're going to go by calendar weeks. This is the start of the second calendar week, and right now there's no end in sight. Both sides are digging in. The Democratic Party seems set on pushing Trump and Republicans to give working class Americans a break on their health care costs.

How are Democrats and Republicans framing the health‑care cost debate?

Belle of the Ranch 0:34

When Republicans wanted to give the wealthy tax breaks, they said the policy was already in place and extended it. The Democratic Party is asking for the same logic to be applied for tens of millions of working class Americans. There is supposed to be a vote at around five thirty PM Eastern on the Democratic plan in the Senate. Republicans are saying there will be no negotiations to the press and their base, while negotiating behind closed doors on the very issue Democrats want addressed. They say there won't be negotiations, and then announce that Trump will lay off people if Democrats don't agree. Those are negotiation tactics. I don't think that word means what they think it means. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett repeated the threat that Trump will lay off American workers if the Democrats don't do what he wants.

What negotiation tactics are Republicans using and how are they impacting workers?

Belle of the Ranch 1:31

He said quote If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, that they're you know, there will start to be layoffs. House Minority Leader Jeffries restated the Democratic position over the weekend in New York. Saying quote What Republicans have unleashed in terms of this health care crisis that they have created is unprecedented, unconscionable, and unamerican. The largest cut to Medicaid in American history. He then went on to talk directly about the ACA cuts, adding quote. Republicans have refused to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, and as a result of that, tens of millions of people, including many right here in New York City, are about to experience dramatically increased premiums, copays, and deductibles.

How will the proposed cuts to the Affordable Care Act affect premiums and Medicaid?

Belle of the Ranch 2:32

Republicans are saying they can deal with this later. Maybe. But the reality is that if working class Americans are going to experience the kind of premium hike Republicans say they are unwilling to address right now. They have to know they're going to experience those hikes in advance. They're not Republican donors. They can't just reach into their sock drawer and pull out a few thousand dollars. Republicans seem to want to tell them how much they'll raise their premiums in the middle of the holiday shopping season. Republican Representative Thomas Massey of Kentucky made an interesting statement about why the House is in recess, saying, Why are we in recess?

What political consequences might Trump face for shutting down the government?

Belle of the Ranch 3:18

Because the day we go back into session, I have two hundred eighteen votes for the discharge petition to force a vote on releasing the Epstein files. Speaker Johnson doesn't want that to be the news. Speaker Johnson denied this. It's worth noting that KFF, which is a health policy research group, found that ninety-two percent of Democrats, eighty-two percent of independents, and fifty-nine percent of Republicans support extending those enhanced tax credits that Democrats say need to be addressed now. Clear majorities across the political spectrum. Trump has shut down the government to stop something even a majority of Republicans want. Bold move. We'll see how that works out for him. Anyway, it's just a thought.

Belle of the Ranch 4:10

Y'all have a good day.

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