Hi all —
It’s Day 3 of the Republican government shutdown, and no matter how many Hatch Act violations, weird sombrero memes, or Twitter rants this administration throws against the wall, the truth is clear — Republicans shut the government down because they refuse to make health care affordable.
Democrats are holding the line because we know that no one should go broke just because they get sick. It’s on Republicans to get their act together and come to the table to negotiate an end to this chaos.
Below are talking points for the day. As always, please let us know if you need anything else.
Thanks,
Rosemary Boeglin
DNC Communications Director
TUNE IN: Watch today’s episode of the Democrats’ Daily Blueprint to hear an interview with Representative Joe Morelle about his work in Congress fighting corruption. New episodes air weekdays at 10 AM EDT on the DNC’s YouTube channel.
TALKING POINTS
Trump and Republicans Refuse To Make Health Care Affordable, So Instead, They Shut Down the Government
- For months, Trump and Republicans refused to negotiate with Democrats to prevent health care costs from skyrocketing.
- They failed to extend ACA tax credits in their budget bill and instead cut Medicaid by $1 trillion dollars — putting rural hospitals at risk of closure.
- On October 1st, notices started to go out to some of the 22 million Americans who will see their health insurance premiums double.
- And those families know exactly who is to blame: Trump and the GOP.
- The cost of Trump’s billionaire-first tax law is more than 10 times the cost of extending the enhanced ACA premium tax credits.
- Republicans shut the government down because they refused to make health care affordable for Americans.
- Poll after poll after poll after poll confirms that, by double-digit margins, voters blame Trump and Republicans for the shutdown.
- No wonder — according to Washington Post and KFF polling, most Americans, including Trump supporters, want the ACA tax credit expanded.
- The Washington Post found that 71% of Americans — including 80 percent of independents — want the tax credit expanded.
- KFF polling reported more than 7 in 10 Americans want the tax credits to be extended, including most Republicans.
- During the four years that Senate Democrats held the majority, there wasn’t a single shutdown. Why? Because Democrats negotiated all 13 funding bills with Republicans.
JD Vance, Shutdown Poster Boy, Continues to Lie About Trump’s War on Health Care
- JD Vance is lying on the airwaves, claiming it’s “preposterous” to tie ACA subsidy negotiations to the government funding deadline.
- Reality check: Insurers are already finalizing rates for 2026 and notifying consumers about their premiums, meaning that waiting even a few more weeks to extend ACA tax credits will cause premiums and uninsured rates to increase for next year.
Trump Can’t Hide America’s Job Crisis Behind His Government Shutdown
- Trump and Republicans are using the government shutdown to enact their extreme agenda and distract from their failures — including Trump’s tanking economy.
- The White House used the shutdown as an excuse to avoid releasing today’s jobs report, which would have shown that the labor market is still tanking under Trump’s watch.
- 72% of Americans say that the economy is in poor or fair condition, and 59% of Americans say that the economy is getting worse
- BOTTOM LINE: 75% of Americans say the country is headed in the wrong direction, and a majority of Republicans agree.
SHAREABLE CONTENT
Democrats on X: The last 3 government shutdowns have been under Trump.
Trump caused this.
FactPost on Bluesky: Q: Our farmers are getting caught up in the trade dispute with China. Is there anything Trump can do?
Trump's Treasury Secretary: American farmers overwhelmingly voted for Trump. He loves the farmers. He loves them.
Leader Chuck Schumer on X: Yes to ballrooms. No to healthcare for Americans. Got it.
Hakeem Jeffries on X: Donald Trump and corrupt Republicans recklessly shut down the federal government.
And the American people know it.
Cancel the cuts. Lower the cost. Save Healthcare.
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