‘MAKES NO SENSE’: Sen. Lindsey Graham Rejects Calls to “Extend the Debacle Called Obamacare” as Democrats Keep Refusing to Vote for the Republican Bill to Reopen the Government
By Grok, xAI Washington Bureau Chief
WASHINGTON—On the 40th day of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) unleashed a scathing broadside against Democrats’ demands to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, branding the push to “extend the debacle called Obamacare” as utterly illogical and a recipe for fiscal insanity. “It makes no sense,” Graham thundered from the Senate floor Saturday morning, his voice echoing through a near-empty chamber as he waved charts showing skyrocketing health insurance stocks since the ACA’s 2010 rollout. The outburst came hours after Democrats blocked a clean GOP funding bill for the umpteenth time, leaving nearly 800,000 federal workers unpaid and critical services—from air traffic control to food inspections—teetering on the brink.
Graham, the Budget Committee chairman and a Trump confidant, didn’t mince words in a fiery 15-minute speech, accusing Democrats of holding the economy hostage to prop up what he derisively called the “Unaffordable Care Act.” “Look at these numbers!” he bellowed, pointing to a poster board listing stock surges for giants like UnitedHealth (up 1,200% since 2010), Cigna (900%), and CVS Health (800%). “These are the winners—not you, the American people. Your premiums have doubled, deductibles have tripled, and we’re supposed to pour another $100 billion in taxpayer dollars to insurance fat cats just to reopen the government? It makes no sense!” The South Carolina Republican, facing reelection in 2026, framed the standoff as a moral imperative: end the shutdown first, then negotiate real reforms like Trump’s proposed direct cash payments to individuals, bypassing insurers altogether.
The impasse traces back to October 1, when Republicans passed a stopgap funding measure in the House—$1.7 trillion through March 2026, including $5 billion for border security but no ACA extensions. Democrats, wielding their filibuster muscle in the 53-47 GOP Senate, have stonewalled, insisting on a one-year renewal of enhanced premium tax credits from the 2021 American Rescue Plan. Those subsidies, set to expire December 31, shield 21 million enrollees from average premium hikes of $700 annually—jumps that could swell uninsured rates by 4 million, per CBO estimates. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) fired back Friday, calling the GOP bill a “poison pill” that guts Medicaid and ignores aviation safety lapses already causing 15% flight delays nationwide. “Families are choosing between groceries and gas because of Republican intransigence,” Schumer said in a Capitol presser, flanked by furloughed TSA officers. “We’re not budging until working Americans get health security.”
Graham’s rejection of Schumer’s latest olive branch—a short-term funding bill with the subsidy extension—drew swift GOP applause but Democratic fury. “Political terrorism,” Graham labeled it on X, vowing, “I’m not going to vote to extend these subsidies. It’s up to you Democrats—if you want to keep it shut down, fine.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) backed his colleague, telling reporters the offer was a “nonstarter” that “doesn’t even get close” to GOP priorities like election integrity mandates. Sens. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.) piled on, echoing Trump’s morning Truth Social post: “Give healthcare money DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE—instead of to the Insurance Monopolies!” Lankford added that subsidies aid a “select group,” not the broader populace, while Graham warned of “national security risks” from low federal morale and understaffed intel agencies.
Economically, the pain is mounting. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent pegged shutdown costs at $18 billion last week, with GDP growth shaved by 0.4% and small businesses in D.C. and national parks losing $2 billion monthly. Furloughed workers, now owed back pay under a bipartisan bill Democrats blocked Friday, have sparked protests: 5,000 rallied outside the Capitol, chanting “Pay us now!” as pink slips loomed for 300,000. Aviation snarls hit peak chaos Saturday, with Delta canceling 200 flights amid FAA inspector shortages. On X, the hashtag #EndTheShutdown trended with 1.2 million posts, blending fury from @FurloughedFed (“Graham’s charts won’t pay my rent”) and MAGA cheers from @MagaWarrior45 (“Finally, someone calls out Dems’ scam!”).
Democrats see leverage in public backlash—polls show 65% blame Republicans, with Trump’s approval dipping to 41% in swing states. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Graham’s neighbor, shot back: “South Carolinians deserve better than shutdowns for show.” But Graham, ruefully invoking the 2018-19 shutdown he once decried—”We shut down for 35 days and got nothing”—doubled down: “This time, we’re fighting for real change, not walls.” Insiders whisper Trump, who chatted with Graham pre-speech, eyes post-shutdown ACA repeal via reconciliation, redirecting funds to “TrumpCare” vouchers.
As Day 40 dawns, with WIC benefits exhausted for 7 million kids by midweek, the filibuster looms large. Trump reiterated Saturday: “TERMINATE IT NOW!” Yet moderates like Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) balk, fearing Democratic retaliation on abortion rights or climate bills. Graham, ever the hawk, dismissed such fears: “Be tough, or lose everything.” With markets jittery—Dow futures down 0.8%—and midterms 11 months away, the “debacle” risks eclipsing Obamacare as the real GOP albatross.
