{"id":2501938,"date":"2025-10-22T14:40:02","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T18:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-are-treading-water-in-obamacare-fight-byron-york\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T14:41:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T18:41:11","slug":"democrats-are-treading-water-in-obamacare-fight-byron-york","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/democrats-are-treading-water-in-obamacare-fight-byron-york\/","title":{"rendered":"Democrats are &#8216;treading water&#8217; in Obamacare fight: Byron York"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">18<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fdemocrats-are-treading-water-in-obamacare-fight-byron-york%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2501938&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The article discusses the ongoing government shutdown and its impact on the Obamacare debate, as analyzed by Washington Examiner Chief Political Correspondent Byron York. York notes that the Democratic Party is &#8220;treading water&#8221; three weeks into the shutdown, as Republicans adopt a similar stance of holding firm. He highlights that President Donald Trump&#8217;s popularity remains steady despite the shutdown,and Republicans are resisting Democratic demands to extend Obamacare premium subsidies,which are a major point of contention.<\/p>\n<p>york explains that Democrats are insisting on attaching conditions to reopening the government, but Republicans insist on reopening first before negotiating. He also critiques how <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >emergency pandemic-related spending<\/a>, such as enhanced Obamacare subsidies introduced during the COVID-19 crisis under President Biden, has become baseline spending that Democrats are reluctant to cut. Republicans argue it&#8217;s time to end these subsidies now that the emergency has passed.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, York discusses political consequences within the Democratic Party, noting that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer may face a primary challenger after this year due to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/poll-1-in-5-democrats-likely-voters-regret-voting-for-joe-biden\/\" title=\"Poll: 1 In 5 ..., Likely Voters Regret Voting For Joe Biden\">falling approval ratings<\/a>, with figures like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seen as potential contenders. The article underscores the stalemate between parties regarding government funding, healthcare subsidies, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/house-gop-presses-mayorkas-on-fema-funding-for-illegal-immigrants-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"... GOP presses Mayorkas on FEMA funding for illegal immigrants - Washington Examiner\">spending priorities amid<\/a> the shutdown.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Democrats are &lsquo;treading water&rsquo; in Obamacare fight during shutdown: Byron York<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2379833\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p><em>Washington Examiner<\/em> Chief Political Correspondent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/daily-memo\/3857603\/zohran-mamdani-terrorist-mutual-friends-siraj-wahhaj\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Byron York<\/a> said the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/presidential\/3859482\/dnc-continues-to-pay-harris-campaign-debt-almost-a-year-after-she-lost\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Democratic Party<\/a> is &ldquo;treading water&rdquo; three weeks into the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3856696\/democrats-november-1-deal-open-government-before-healthcare-open-enrollment-period\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">government shutdown<\/a>, adding that Republicans are using a similar strategy.<\/p>\n<p>York said President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/donald-trump\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donald Trump&rsquo;s<\/a> popularity is unaffected by this shutdown, and Democrats have yet to make &ldquo;any progress&rdquo; on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/healthcare\/3855855\/gop-pressure-prevent-obamacare-subsidies-funding-abortions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Obamacare subsidies<\/a>, a key factor at play. Republicans are declining Democratic lawmakers&rsquo; demands to extend Obamacare healthcare insurance premium tax credits, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3858857\/trump-easing-democratic-pressure-as-shutdown-deadline-approaches\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trump is promising to pay<\/a> military service members and fund food stamps for women and children amid this shutdown.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/state\/3859506\/new-jersey-republican-request-election-monitors-swing-district\/\">New Jersey Republicans request election monitors in swing district as governor race tightens<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3860024\/jasmine-crockett-floats-bid-texas-senate-race\/\">Liberal firebrand Jasmine Crockett floats bid in crowded Texas Senate race<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/education\/3859737\/riley-gaines-appointment-tennessee-library-board-mixed-reactions\/\">Riley Gaines appointment to local Tennessee library board gets mixed reactions<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>&ldquo;And incidentally, in the past, Democrats taught Republicans how to handle this, which is [to] look at the party that is attaching conditions to reopening the government, that&rsquo;s the Democrats this time, and say, &lsquo;No, first open the government, and then we&rsquo;ll talk about your issue.&rsquo; And that&rsquo;s where we are right now, and Democrats seem to be just treading water at the moment,&rdquo; York said on <em>The Hugh Hewitt Show<\/em>.<\/p>\n<p>    <iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/vw7GJgUm-mM?si=w8qKHecP2KFjE6Ch\" title=\"YouTube video player\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>    <\/p>\n<p>York also said this shutdown is about how emergency spending is turning into &ldquo;new baseline spending&rdquo; that gets out of control. He explained how Democrats were unsatisfied with Obamacare when it passed in 2010 and decided to &ldquo;build on this&rdquo; in the future, which didn&rsquo;t happen until the party regained complete control of the White House, Senate, and House of Representatives in 2021.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Once former President <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/white-house\/3857967\/biden-completes-first-round-radiation-treatment-stage-4-prostate-cancer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joe Biden<\/a> entered office, York said Democrats &ldquo;immediately&rdquo; used the COVID-19 pandemic as a &ldquo;rationale&rdquo; to increase premium subsidies for Obamacare. This was extended for a year and later extended again to Dec. 31 of this year.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;And what we&rsquo;re seeing is this belief in the Democrats that once you start spending and send the money out, you can&rsquo;t stop, you can never stop it. And Republicans are saying, &lsquo;Look, these were emergency pandemic-related spending, so it&rsquo;s time to cut them off,&rsquo;&rdquo; York said.<\/p>\n<p>York also said Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) will &ldquo;probably&rdquo; face a primary challenger in 2028 after this year, saying &ldquo;there kind of was hell to pay for him&rdquo; after he <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3347329\/schumer-caves-shutdown-battle-gop-clearing-way-funding-bill-passage\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">voted with Republicans in March<\/a> to help advance a House-passed stopgap measure to fund the government.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/finance-and-economy\/3858918\/government-shutdown-adding-federal-debt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN WILL ADD TO THE FEDERAL DEBT<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Oct. 15 that the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3851599\/scott-bessent-federal-government-held-hostage-chuck-schumer-poll-numbers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">government is being held &ldquo;hostage&rdquo;<\/a> by Schumer&rsquo;s approval numbers. He said Schumer &ldquo;did the right thing&rdquo; when working with Republicans in March, but <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3497833\/chuck-schumer-lowest-favorability-rating-two-decades\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">the senator&rsquo;s poll numbers have &ldquo;collapsed&rdquo;<\/a> since then.<\/p>\n<p>Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) is widely seen as a possible challenger to Schumer, though she and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3852911\/sanders-aoc-erupt-potential-schumer-primary-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">reacted with hostility<\/a> when asked about this at a recent town hall. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/senate\/3356388\/sanders-end-abc-news-interview-idea-aoc-replace-schumer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sanders attempted to end an interview<\/a> in March when he was asked about Ocasio-Cortez primarying Schumer in 2028.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Democrats &#8216;treading water&#8217; in Obamacare fight amid shutdown<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2501939,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25289627093703.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[37928,3685,4606,12589,5894],"class_list":["post-2501938","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-byron-york","tag-democrats","tag-healthcare","tag-obamacare","tag-politics"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/AP25289627093703.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501938","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2501938"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501938\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2501942,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2501938\/revisions\/2501942"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2501939"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2501938"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2501938"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2501938"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}