Introduction
In an attention-driven ecosystem, Republicans’ decision to shut down the government has put the GOP health care crisis front and center for American families. With all eyes on Republicans for gutting health care tax credits and more than doubling premiums for over 20 million working people, it is plain to see that the GOP is under pressure. This fight is no longer just making conversation in the beltway; it’s driving concern at dinner tables across the country. Americans see Republicans bending over backwards to help out their billionaire friends while taking advantage of ordinary people.
The voters are with us. We have the strength of public opinion on our side. Poll after poll shows that voters squarely blame Republicans for the political chaos in Washington, and they trust Democrats to keep fighting for their health care. Health care is a top issue for voters. It’s where Republicans are weakest and Democrats are strongest. In this shutdown fight, it’s the ground where we will win.
Polls Show Americans Are Paying Attention to the Health Care Crisis, Blame the GOP
Americans are counting on Democrats to save their health care. Polls from the Washington Post and Navigator Research show that about half of Americans, including a plurality of independent voters, support Democrats holding the line against the GOP health care cuts.
According to new Navigator polling, the government shutdown is dominating the news. 75 percent of Americans report hearing some or a lot about it. And they don’t like what they’re seeing from Republicans. According to a CBS poll, 52 percent of Americans disapprove of how the GOP is handling the shutdown.
Ending Tax Credits Is A Political Liability for Republicans
Voters overwhelmingly support the tax credits that over 20 million Americans rely on to afford their health insurance premiums. A KFF poll found support at 78 percent, including 59 percent of Republicans. The Washington Post similarly found that 71 percent of Americans support the tax credits.
Nearly six in ten Americans who buy health insurance on their own live in Republican congressional districts, and President Trump’s top pollsters recently reported that ending health care tax credits would be a major liability for the GOP in next year’s midterms. Perhaps that’s why the President has begun signaling a willingness to negotiate with Democrats on the issue, and Republican strategists are predicting that Republicans will cave.
Republicans shut down the government to rip away health care tax credits for working people. Now they’re on defense and they’ve started to admit it. The only question is how long they can stand the pressure.
- CNBC: Republicans Face Pressure to Consider Democrats’ Health-Care Demands as Shutdown Drags On
- Politico: “One Week Into the Government Shutdown, Top Republican Leaders Appear to Have Lost the Plot”
- The Bulwark: Democrats Are Winning the Shutdown Fight
- NY Times: Health Care Politics Bolster Democrats in Shutdown Fight
Headlines Across The Nation Show the GOP Can’t Hide From Premium Increases
No amount of obfuscation can save the GOP from the reality that their health care crisis keeps getting worse. This month, Americans are coming face-to-face with eye-popping premium increases on a scale they’ve never seen before. Some states, including Virginia, Idaho, and Georgia, have opened online window-shopping where families can see first-hand that their premiums will go up to the tune of hundreds or thousands of dollars more each month if the GOP ends the health care tax credits.
The Republican Health Care Crisis Is Everywhere: Across the country, every time they open a newspaper, scroll through social media, or turn on the evening news, Americans are confronted with stories of skyrocketing premiums, hospital closures, and coverage losses. From national outlets to local papers, the stories make one thing clear: Republicans caused this mess and working families are paying the price.
The Bottom Line: When Will Republicans Relent?
As Republicans continue to ignore the pleas of their constituents who rely on health care tax credits, the political ground is shifting underneath them. Voters have noticed that Democrats are leading the charge for health care while the GOP uses their power in Washington to hand out tax breaks for billionaires.
