‘The silliness needs to stop’: Blame game continues across the aisle 12 days into federal government shutdown

Congressman Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, shared no intentions of acquiescing or compromising with Democrats 12 days into a government shutdown that surrounds health care subsidies, he said in a call Sunday with reporters.

“We’re always happy to work with the Democrats, but we’re not going to respond to hostage -taking to reopen the government,” Baumgartner said. “We’ve passed all of the appropriations that need to happen to get folks paid. They need to do the same thing and vote to reopen the government.”

Democrats are largely holding firm on their demands to reopen the government, which include extending expiring Obama-era subsidies that help Americans pay for health insurance and reversing an estimated $1 trillion cut to Medicaid as outlined in the July One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The health care tax credits subsidizes health care for an estimated 22 million Americans, according to Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, who is in turn pointing a finger at Republicans for the shutdown. Without health care subsidies, the average Idahoan could see health care premiums increase by an average $975 yearly. Health insurance open enrollment in Idaho opens on Wednesday.

“Republicans don’t want to talk about it, and they have refused to do anything about it,” Murray said in a recent news conference. “In fact, Republicans have chosen to shut down the government rather than work with Democrats on a solution to stop this from happening.”

Baumgartner maintained that the Democrats’ demands include covering health care for immigrants who are in the country illegally. A 1996 law prevents any federal dollars spent to provide public benefits to unauthorized immigrants. An item the Democrats do seek to reverse in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act would repeal health care provisions for migrants who are in the country legally under various protected statuses.

Baumgartner pointed to the federal budget deficit as further explanation for not giving in on health care costs.

“We will spend something roughly on the order of $7 trillion this year from the federal government, while bringing in $5 trillion in revenue, so that is not sustainable,” he said.

“The silliness needs to stop.”