Senate Majority Leader John Thune has revealed that he's offered Democrats a vote on extending Obamacare subsidies in exchange for opening the government, according to a recent MSNBC interview. In this unprecedented move, Thune is willing to provide Democrats with a guarantee of a vote by a certain date if they agree to support Republican funding legislation.
Thune acknowledged that Republicans have been open to negotiations over expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, but insisted that there is "a path forward" for reaching an agreement. When asked whether he was simply promising a negotiation without guaranteeing a specific outcome, Thune said, "I can't guarantee it's going to pass."
However, he also stated that he can guarantee Democrats will receive a vote on the issue, which may be enough to persuade them to compromise. The proposal includes reforms and income caps to qualify for lower Obamacare premiums.
Despite this apparent willingness to compromise, Democrats remain skeptical about Republican intentions, having grown increasingly distrustful of their commitment to extend the subsidies. The shutdown has now entered its third week, with government workers missing their first paycheck.
In contrast to other GOP leaders who have cast doubt on addressing expiring tax credits, Thune expressed a more sympathetic tone towards rising premiums, cautioning against drastic increases. Nevertheless, he refused to commit support for a one-year extension of the subsidies, which would cost $35 billion annually – significantly less than the Congressional Budget Office's estimate of $350 billion to $488 billion over the next decade.
Thune's comments suggest that negotiations will continue until Democrats are willing to accept some form of compromise. While he hopes the shutdown doesn't last through Thanksgiving, his words indicate that a deal may still be a long way off.
Thune acknowledged that Republicans have been open to negotiations over expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, but insisted that there is "a path forward" for reaching an agreement. When asked whether he was simply promising a negotiation without guaranteeing a specific outcome, Thune said, "I can't guarantee it's going to pass."
However, he also stated that he can guarantee Democrats will receive a vote on the issue, which may be enough to persuade them to compromise. The proposal includes reforms and income caps to qualify for lower Obamacare premiums.
Despite this apparent willingness to compromise, Democrats remain skeptical about Republican intentions, having grown increasingly distrustful of their commitment to extend the subsidies. The shutdown has now entered its third week, with government workers missing their first paycheck.
In contrast to other GOP leaders who have cast doubt on addressing expiring tax credits, Thune expressed a more sympathetic tone towards rising premiums, cautioning against drastic increases. Nevertheless, he refused to commit support for a one-year extension of the subsidies, which would cost $35 billion annually – significantly less than the Congressional Budget Office's estimate of $350 billion to $488 billion over the next decade.
Thune's comments suggest that negotiations will continue until Democrats are willing to accept some form of compromise. While he hopes the shutdown doesn't last through Thanksgiving, his words indicate that a deal may still be a long way off.
. I mean, who wouldn't want that right? It's not like they have better things to do than spend hours in a meeting about healthcare 
. But seriously, I think Thune's comments show he's willing to listen and compromise – which is more than some other GOP leaders can say 
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. And with premiums rising left and right, it's not like they have a lot of wiggle room in their budget 
. I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next 
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. $350 billion or so over a decade? That's crazy talk! 
But Thune is right that it's better than not doing anything at all, I guess 
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. We're at the point where we need to negotiate about subsidies for health insurance because it's not being funded properly by the government. It's like, come on guys... can't we just get our act together and fund what we need? 
. That's a step in the right direction, but it still feels like he's not taking a strong enough stance on this issue for my taste.
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but at the same time I'm like "hold up, is this just a publicity stunt?" 
but then again, what does Thune really want? 
If Democrats can just get past their trust issues with Republicans, maybe we'll see some progress on these subsidies. And Thune's words about not wanting drastic premium hikes are totally on point 
Guess only time will tell if they actually come to an agreement 
Thunes offer might seem like a good idea on paper but both sides r still too far apart. The thing that really worries me is the $35 billion price tag - its gonna hurt lots of people, especially low-income families who rely on those subsidies for healthcare 
Thune's willingness to compromise is a good sign, but I get why Democrats are skeptical - they've been burned before 
And $350 billion over the next decade? That's crazy talk 
Thune's words might not be enough to calm us all down yet, but let's keep the conversation going and see where it takes us 
... Thune thinks offering a "guarantee" of a vote on extending subsidies will magically make everything okay? Like, come on, it's just a vote, not a miracle cure for the healthcare crisis 
... and don't even get me started on the $35 billion annual cost vs the CBO estimate of $350-488 billion over 10 years 
Thunes words also show hes not just about winning elections but maybe actually trying to help ppl 
and i saw the most stunning sunrise over the Grand Prismatic Spring - it was literally breathtaking! 
anyway back to this healthcare thing... I feel like we should be talking about how awesome it is that people are actually willing to negotiate on subsidies 
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. Democrats seem pretty skeptical of Republican intentions, and with good reason