Mike Johnson's plan to keep the House closed is backfiring

House Republicans are increasingly coming under fire for their strategy to keep lawmakers at home while a government shutdown persists. Mike Johnson, the House Speaker, has been pushing his caucus to stay away from Washington, claiming that Democrats should be responsible for resolving the impasse.

However, this approach is proving to be counterproductive. The House has only been in session for 20 days over more than three months - a rate of less than 80 days per year, which hasn't happened since World War II. This lack of productivity has only fueled criticism from some Republicans, who are questioning Johnson's leadership.

In a recent development, concerns have been raised about the White House's handling of the shutdown. Some lawmakers are now arguing that Democrats' demand to boost Obamacare as part of any bill to reopen the government is gaining traction among voters. This suggests that the messaging war has shifted in favor of the opposition party.

Furthermore, Johnson's plan has also had unintended consequences. For instance, his decision to delay Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva's swearing-in has heightened suspicions that the White House may be hiding something. Additionally, the government shutdown is affecting the expiring subsidies for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans, which could lead to dramatic premium increases.

It appears that Johnson's strategy of staying home and doing nothing won't work in the long run. As experts point out, delaying key decisions will only put off hard choices and may ultimately harm the party's reputation. With voters increasingly concerned about issues like healthcare costs and government transparency, Republicans would be wise to take a more proactive approach to address these concerns rather than ducking and running.

I don't get why they're just sitting around while people are losing their subsidies for health insurance . It's not fair that Rep-elect Adelita Grijalva is being held up like that... it's not cool, dude . And yeah, I can see how the messaging war thing is going in favor of the Dems... we need to talk about healthcare costs and transparency over here!

So I'm watching this whole gov shutdown thing and I just don't get it . Why is it that the reps are staying away from work? It seems like they're missing an opportunity to actually fix some problems and make people's lives better .

I mean, think about it - we've got people who can't afford healthcare because of those subsidies expiring . And now, with a gov shutdown, things are only gonna get worse . It's not like they're doing anything productive just by staying home .

And what's up with the White House thinking Democrats should be responsible for resolving this? That's like saying "hey, it's your fault" when we all know that both sides need to work together . And Mike Johnson's plan is not helping either... he's kinda making a mess of things .

I wish they'd just sit down and have a real conversation about what's going on instead of playing politics . We voters are getting tired of all this drama and I think Republicans should take a page from their playbook to actually listen to people's concerns .

I'm kinda surprised they're not taking a harder stance on this shutdown thing . Staying away from Washington isn't gonna solve anything, it's just gonna make the Democrats look like they have all the power. I mean, come on, if you want to be seen as a responsible party, you need to take some risks and compromise. This whole "let Democrats fix it" thing is just not gonna cut it when voters start seeing the real impact of this shutdown .

And what's up with delaying Rep.-elect Grijalva's swearing-in? That just reeks of dirty politics . If they're hiding something, they should be addressing it head-on, not trying to sweep it under the rug. This whole government shutdown thing is getting more and more out of hand, and I'm starting to think that Mike Johnson needs a serious reality check .

I also think it's time for Republicans to stop playing the victim card and start taking some ownership of their actions. They're always whining about how the Democrats are being unfair, but when they have an opportunity to offer some real solutions, they just blow it . It's time for them to step up and show us what they're really capable of .

I'm low-key surprised that House Reps aren't just owning this shutdown . Mike Johnson's plan to keep them at home is literally making the situation worse... like, they're already stuck in neutral. And honestly, it's not like Democrats are all about winning at all costs - they want some compromise too . I'm curious to see how this whole thing unfolds, but I think Reps need to stop playing politics and start solving problems ASAP . Those premium increases on Affordable Care Act plans? That's a whole other can of worms... need to figure out how to make healthcare more affordable for everyone, stat .

I think this whole shutdown thing is actually a blessing in disguise for the GOP. I mean, if they can't even get things done at home, how are they gonna fix anything when they're back in DC? It's all about appearances, you know? They're trying to look tough on the Democrats, but really they're just looking foolish for not being able to pass a bill that doesn't involve shutting down the whole government. And let's be real, Obamacare is a total mess anyway. We need some chaos and disruption in this country, not more of the same old politics-as-usual. Maybe if they'd take a step back and re-evaluate their priorities, we might actually see some progress on some of the issues that really matter.

I'm getting so fed up with this whole shutdown thing . It seems like nobody's winning here, except maybe the Democrats who are trying to capitalize on the situation . I mean, can't we just find a middle ground already? Mike Johnson's strategy of keeping lawmakers home is just not working out... it's been 20 days and the House has accomplished almost nothing . And now, people are starting to question whether he's really doing what's best for his party .

And honestly, I think some of these Republicans are being pretty naive if they think that delaying key decisions is going to make everything okay . The more we wait around, the more dramatic those premium increases are gonna get... it's just not good for anyone . Can't we all just try to be a little more reasonable and work towards a solution?

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I get what Rep Mike Johnson is trying to do but it's kinda backfiring . I mean, yeah, the Democrats should be doing more to resolve this impasse, but keeping lawmakers at home isn't gonna help anything. It's just delaying the inevitable. And now we're seeing some of our own party members start to question Johnson's leadership ... not exactly what he wanted.

And what's with the messaging war? I get that Democrats want to push for better healthcare, but can't they just have a constructive conversation about it instead of playing politics? It's getting messy out there. And those premium increases when the subsidies expire? Not good for anyone ... especially not our party.

I think it's time for Johnson and the Republicans to take a deep breath and get back to work. We can't just sit on our hands and wait for the Democrats to make a move. That's not leadership, that's hiding .

I'm low-key frustrated with Mike Johnson's shutdown strategy . Like, come on, 20 days in session over 3 months? That's just a bunch of empty time . I get that Democrats aren't willing to compromise, but Republicans need to step up too . And what's with this messaging war? It sounds like they're just playing defense . I think the real issue here is how the shutdown's affecting people's lives . Like, the subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans are expiring and that could lead to some crazy premium hikes . We need lawmakers to get their act together ASAP !

I don't get why they're all missing out on their jobs . A few days off isn't going to break the bank or anything. And what's with this " Democrats should be responsible for resolving the impasse" thing? That just sounds like a cop-out to me . It's not like it's going to magically fix everything. They need to get back to work and figure out some real solutions . And yeah, delaying that swearing-in business was a major red flag . The White House should be more transparent about what's really going on . This whole shutdown thing is just giving the Democrats ammo to take shots at Republicans .

um I was just thinking about my favorite restaurant downtown they have this amazing avocado toast that's literally the best thing since sliced bread anyway back to politics... did you guys know that there's this new app that lets you customize your own pizza at home it's so cool! and I'm like what if we could apply that same kind of customization to our government? you know, like making it more efficient and stuff

"This is the age of wispy thinking!" The constant inability to make progress only leads to more problems in the end

I'm so done with Mike Johnson's whole "let's all just stay home" vibe . Like, come on guys, we're supposed to be making decisions for the country here! This shutdown is just gonna look like a total cop-out when history books are written about it . And don't even get me started on Adelita Grijalva's swearing-in delay... what's going on with that?! Either tell us or stop making us wait, you know?

omg I'm shocked by Rep Mike Johnson's strategy ! staying home for 3 months is just gonna fuel more criticism . it's like they're trying to lose control of the narrative . the voters are already feeling the heat on healthcare costs , and now you're telling them that Republicans don't care? not a good look for the party.

and let's be real, delaying Adelita Grijalva's swearing-in is just shady . what's going on with the White House? . and those premium increases? yikes ! it's like they're trying to make healthcare worse .

I think Rep Johnson needs to rethink his approach ASAP . taking a proactive stance on issues would be way better than just sitting back . the party needs to get its act together before voters start losing faith .