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Vice President J.D. Vance stepped forward this week to give Americans a sober update on the government shutdown and its fallout, reminding the country that conservatives are not callous about ordinary families’ bills. He told reporters the administration is focused on keeping services where possible and protecting paychecks for troops, even as the standoff drags on.
This shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Democrats insisted on tying short-term funding to a massive, open-ended bailout of Obamacare’s temporary premium tax credits, a demand that leaders in both parties warned would complicate the budget talks. The timing matters: open enrollment is looming and Washington is playing political chicken with people’s coverage and pocketbooks.
Vance was blunt and right to call out the politics: he noted that the premium-support program in question does not expire immediately and questioned why Democrats would shut down the government over a policy that can be addressed once operations resume. Conservatives should applaud any leader who refuses to let Washington’s partisan theater put working Americans on the hook while Democrats play for headlines.
Make no mistake, Republicans aren’t oblivious to higher premiums; they’ve repeatedly said they don’t want premiums to rise and that fixing health care costs is a real problem for working families. But the proper process is to reopen the government first, then negotiate responsibly — not to extract a blank check by weaponizing a funding deadline. That is governance, not extortion.
Democrats are trying to scare Americans by saying premiums will “skyrocket” unless their demands are met immediately, and yes, millions who rely on marketplace subsidies would feel pain if temporary credits vanish. That’s precisely why conservatives must be honest: extend help where it’s targeted, reform the market to lower costs in the long run, and stop rewarding a permanent spending binge that masks Obamacare’s deeper failures.
The bold path is not to cave to every crisis-manufacturing stunt from the left, but to reopen the government, protect vital services and then hammer out a durable solution that lowers premiums without bankrupting taxpayers. Vance’s message — that Americans’ premiums shouldn’t go up and that Washington must act responsibly — is the right one for patriots who want both fiscal sanity and real health-care relief for hardworking families.
For those worried about paychecks and benefits right now, the administration has repeatedly assured the public it will do what’s necessary to keep troops paid and essential services running as talks continue. Conservatives must keep the faith with service members and the vulnerable while refusing to let Democratic brinkmanship become the new normal in Washington.
