Two days into the government shutdown, Democrats in Congress are showing little sign of relenting, betting that refocusing the national conversation on health care is a winning gambit for their party — even if they don't have a clear idea of what success in this standoff might look like.
Asked to describe what they want to accomplish from this shutdown, party lawmakers sound united.
They insist that Congress must act now to address Obamacare premiums that will, in some cases, more than double as a result of subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year. For the moment, they're also demanding a reversal of the Medicaid cuts in the GOP's reconciliation bill — a farfetched demand that Republicans aren't even taking seriously.
But Democrats also see a more realistic win that's within their grasp.
Health care is an issue on which Democrats hold a firm political advantage in poll after poll. And even if the shutdown ends with Democrats caving on a continuing resolution without immediate concessions on the expiring Obamacare subsidies, some quietly believe they'll still have accomplished something.
This is a preview of Kevin Frey's latest column. Read the full column here.
