As Shutdown Pain Intensifies, Republicans Ratchet Up Pressure on Dems

After a half-dozen votes by Democrats against a short-term continuing resolution to reopen the federal government, Republicans are turning up the temperature on them, accusing Democrats of relishing the suffering of the American people.

“The Democrats are playing games. It’s political theater today. They’ve reduced America’s pain to a political prop,” House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said at a Thursday press conference.

He was joined by Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., who chairs the House Committee on Veterans Affairs. Bost warned of the consequences for veterans missing their Oct. 15 benefits checks. Bost also expressed concerns about Veterans Affairs benefits and education payments lapsing.

“Folks, this is not a game. It’s very, very serious,” he said.

As services run out of funds and senators approach a point where prolonging the shutdown will become politically painful, Republicans are accusing individual Democrats of holding Americans hostage.

On Thursday, Punchbowl News published an interview with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who expressed optimism about the effectiveness of Democrats’ standoff strategy.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“Every day gets better for us,” Schumer said in the interview. “It’s because we’ve thought about this long in advance and we knew that health care would be the focal point on Sept. 30 [the funding deadline] and we prepared for it … . Their whole theory was—threaten us, bamboozle us, and we would submit in a day or two.”

House Republicans slammed Schumer for that statement, accusing him of being gleeful amid the shutdown.

“Stop saying that you’re enjoying inflicting pain on the American people for goodness’ sakes and pass the clean [continuing resolution]. End the shutdown today,” said Johnson.

House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., also used the news conference as an opportunity to slam his state’s Democrat senators.

Minnesota Sen. “Tina Smith claims she shut the government down so that she can, quote, ‘protect Minnesotans’ health care,’” said Emmer. “But Tina, if that really was the case, why do you support a $1.5 trillion spending proposal that would give health care to illegal aliens while cutting $50 billion from rural health care?”

He added, “This was never about health care for the Democrats. This has been about picking a fight with President Trump so that they can try to score points with the terrorist wing of their party.”

House Republican Conference chairwoman Rep. Lisa McClain, R-Mich., similarly framed the shutdown as a self-serving measure for Democrats, saying, “The impact of the government shutdown is growing by the day. Planes are being grounded, paychecks are being missed, and people are hurting. Different than Chuck Schumer—he’s having a good day—the American people are hurting.”

For House Republicans, the message is simple: Democrats have a binary choice of whether or not to reopen the government. 

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