Liar Liar Pants On Hakeem Fire
We keep hearing the claim that Donald Trump and Republicans “shut down the government because they do not want to provide health care to working-class Americans.” That sounds dramatic, but it is completely false. Here is what actually happened. The House passed a clean continuing resolution—a temporary bill that keeps government funded at current levels. No new programs, no hidden tricks—just enough to keep the lights on and the paychecks flowing. Donald Trump made it clear he was ready to sign it. The problem came when Senate Democrats decided to block the measure using the filibuster. A filibuster allows senators to stall or stop legislation unless sixty votes are secured to move it forward. In plain English, that means Democrats—not Republicans—are preventing the bill from being voted on, creating the very shutdown they are blaming others for.
A clean resolution simply maintains current funding while negotiations continue. It is the responsible way to avoid disruption. Democrats, however, are refusing that stability because they want to force policy concessions. They are trying to stuff new health-care spending demands into what should be a routine vote. Congress controls the purse, and this is the leverage game they play: hold the country hostage until their add-ons are accepted. It is like jamming a piece of metal into a machine, stopping it cold, and then blaming the gears for breaking. So when Hakeem Jeffries repeats the talking point that Donald Trump “shut down the government,” he is repeating an intentional misdirection. The obstruction is deliberate, strategic, and political—not fiscal responsibility gone wrong.
Now to the second claim—that Republicans want to deny health care to working-class Americans. That too is false. The proposed Medicaid adjustments focus on able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 with no disabilities or dependents. The intent is simple: encourage people who can work to contribute. Roughly ninety percent of current recipients remain covered. The changes ask those without exemptions to work twenty to thirty hours a week. That is not cruelty; it is common sense. A functioning nation depends on participation, not permanent dependency. Donald Trump supports health care for those who work and pay into the system. What he opposes is the idea that people can live indefinitely off the effort of others.
Look at the numbers. About thirteen percent of our entire federal budget now goes solely to interest on the national debt. Medicare—one of the largest entitlement programs—accounts for fourteen percent. The gap is closing fast, and interest costs are accelerating. If this continues, America will spend more servicing debt than defending itself. That is financial insanity. The government must rein in borrowing and control spending or it will have nothing left for health care, infrastructure, or defense. What Trump’s team is saying is that fiscal health matters just as much as physical health. Without discipline, the country cannot fund anything—not health care, not Social Security, not even the basic functions of government.
A quick reminder. Paul and Team Truesdell host a casual cocktail conversation on a frequent basis. Make sure to check the events page on paul Truesdell dot com, or Truesdell wealth dot com, on a regular basis for details. This coming discussion is titled, gin, owl. Call or text 352-612-1000 for details and to make a reservation. And, there’s not cost or obligation.
A clean resolution simply maintains current funding while negotiations continue. It is the responsible way to avoid disruption. Democrats, however, are refusing that stability because they want to force policy concessions. They are trying to stuff new health-care spending demands into what should be a routine vote. Congress controls the purse, and this is the leverage game they play: hold the country hostage until their add-ons are accepted. It is like jamming a piece of metal into a machine, stopping it cold, and then blaming the gears for breaking. So when Hakeem Jeffries repeats the talking point that Donald Trump “shut down the government,” he is repeating an intentional misdirection. The obstruction is deliberate, strategic, and political—not fiscal responsibility gone wrong.
Now to the second claim—that Republicans want to deny health care to working-class Americans. That too is false. The proposed Medicaid adjustments focus on able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 with no disabilities or dependents. The intent is simple: encourage people who can work to contribute. Roughly ninety percent of current recipients remain covered. The changes ask those without exemptions to work twenty to thirty hours a week. That is not cruelty; it is common sense. A functioning nation depends on participation, not permanent dependency. Donald Trump supports health care for those who work and pay into the system. What he opposes is the idea that people can live indefinitely off the effort of others.
Look at the numbers. About thirteen percent of our entire federal budget now goes solely to interest on the national debt. Medicare—one of the largest entitlement programs—accounts for fourteen percent. The gap is closing fast, and interest costs are accelerating. If this continues, America will spend more servicing debt than defending itself. That is financial insanity. The government must rein in borrowing and control spending or it will have nothing left for health care, infrastructure, or defense. What Trump’s team is saying is that fiscal health matters just as much as physical health. Without discipline, the country cannot fund anything—not health care, not Social Security, not even the basic functions of government.
A quick reminder. Paul and Team Truesdell host a casual cocktail conversation on a frequent basis. Make sure to check the events page on paul Truesdell dot com, or Truesdell wealth dot com, on a regular basis for details. This coming discussion is titled, gin, owl. Call or text 352-612-1000 for details and to make a reservation. And, there’s not cost or obligation.