US Government Shutdown Threatens Millions Amid Healthcare Crisis

Sen. Cory Booker praised Democratic leadership for standing firm in the government shutdown fight, arguing Democrats will not reopen the government without reversing Republican Medicaid cuts and extending expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies to avert what he called a health-care crisis that could cost lives and strain rural hospitals. Republicans insist on a clean continuing resolution and claim Democrats’ demands could cost as much as $1.5 trillion, while a GOP-passed stopgap was blocked in the Senate because Democrats (all but three) sustained the filibuster — which requires 60 votes to break and saw only about 55 votes to advance at various points. Critics and former Biden aide Michael LaRosa say Democrats have walked into a political trap by opposing a CR built on the Biden budget levels they previously supported, risking political ground if the shutdown continues. The White House and GOP warn the shutdown could trigger thousands of federal layoffs, a scenario commentators say plays into President Trump’s interests and underscores the risks of the Democrats’ strategy. Reporting and analysis from The Washington Post and others portray the Democrats’ stance as a high-risk gamble intended to protect health-care provisions even as it inflicts short-term pain on federal workers and creates potential political fallout for the party.