In the land of Washington drama, the government has yet again stumbled into a shutdown. The shutdown is supposedly not a political game, yet it seems like Chuck Schumer got his chessboard out, ready to use this situation as his little revenge play. With 750,000 federal employees not working and even military paychecks under threat, one might wonder if anyone there in Washington realizes this isn’t just a squabble over who gets the last piece of pie.
What a time to be alive! Chuck believes that every day of this shutdown gets better for the Democrats. He’s over there smiling smugly as if he just won the grand prize in a staring contest. Meanwhile, Americans, who are already juggling hefty healthcare premiums, are left to wonder if this political rumble will ever stop so they can, oh, I don’t know, pay the bills and keep the lights on.
The numbers don’t lie. A significant chunk of President Trump’s victory came from rural America, counties that are undoubtedly feeling the crunch. With rural hospitals closing their doors and healthcare becoming a luxury, it’s painful to see Democrats ignoring the plight of rural America. These areas largely supported Trump, so maybe Schumer has decided they’re just not his people. Instead of addressing this rural healthcare crisis, Schumer prefers his revenge makeover, nicely tying the healthcare issue into a neat little bow to hang on someone else’s neck.
Healthcare has become a battlefield, thanks to Obamacare, which clearly didn’t deliver the golden, affordable healthcare it promised. Some feel it’s like buying a ticket to the Titanic, thinking you’re getting on a cruise that changes your life, only to find out you have to pay extra for the lifeboat. Meanwhile, Democrats throw blame like confetti at a New Year’s Eve party. But, maybe it’s not working out so well for them after all.
When it comes down to it, Republicans have a crystal clear argument. They’ve provided multiple chances to keep things running smoothly, but it seems their colleagues across the aisle just love a good melodrama. If history has shown anything, eventually, when the effects start hitting home, such as delayed air travel or empty wallets, someone’s bound to come to the table. But until then, it’s all about which side has the better narrative and who blinks first. At this rate, maybe Schumer should consider using that sentiment of every day being better as an ad for the Republicans. Americans are tired of petty political games and, quite frankly, just want to get back to business.
