Former President Barack Obama, who long condemned government shutdowns and previously criticized congressional Republicans for their “total irresponsibility,” is now seeing his party accused of the same as the current government shutdown enters its second month with little progress in negotiations.
Travel disruptions are being felt across the country, and SNAP benefits for millions of Americans remain at risk. Senate Democrats have held firm, refusing to support GOP proposals without extensions to healthcare subsidies.
In response, Republicans have accused Democrats of holding the country hostage—a tactic Obama vehemently opposed back in 2013.
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“Think about this: shutting down the government just because you don’t like a law that was passed and found constitutional,” Obama said in September 2013. “No Congress before this one has ever, ever, in history, been irresponsible enough to threaten default, to threaten an economic shutdown, to suggest America not pay its bills just to try to blackmail a president into giving them some concessions.”
The 2013 shutdown lasted just over two weeks, meaning the latest closure has already lasted twice as long. Notably, the previous dispute also centered on the Affordable Care Act.
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“Congress needs to pay our bills on time. Congress needs to pass a budget on time. Congress needs to put an end to governing from crisis to crisis,” Obama urged lawmakers, emphasizing the importance of keeping the government running.
Today, Democrats are demanding an extension of the enhanced ObamaCare subsidies that expire in 2025. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has made it clear that his caucus won’t vote for any bill that excludes these subsidies.
Back in 2013, Obama also argued that Republicans should use normal legislative avenues to settle policy disputes rather than resorting to extreme measures such as a government shutdown.
“If Republicans do not like the law, they can go through the regular channels and processes to try to change it. That’s why we have elections,” he said.
On Friday, Obama posted on X urging Republicans to “act now” to end the shutdown, highlighting the growing risk of hunger as SNAP benefits hang in the balance. However, Democrats have voted against 13 Republican-led attempts to reopen the government.
Schumer reiterated before the latest failed vote that Democrats remain firm on their demands for healthcare subsidies.
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https://www.foxnews.com/media/resurfaced-obama-video-blasting-shutdown-blackmail-now-haunts-democrats-amid-new-standoff
