Source: Foundation for Economic Education
by Gary M Galles
“The focus of the current government shutdown circus has increasingly narrowed to Democrat demands to undo proposed reductions in very large, supposedly temporary, Covid-era Obamacare (Affordable Care Act) subsidy boosts. A major part of their public push is the claim that they are trying to save citizens money, though what they are actually demanding is that we shift the burden to future generations via increased federal debt, backed by the threat of demonizing Republicans as heartless for taking away any benefits. They emphasize the need to maintain the ‘great deal’ the ACA offered. The problem with their emphasis was revealed by a recent Washington Post editorial that admitted that ‘The real problem is that the Affordable Care Act [Obamacare] was never actually affordable,’ because ‘policies cost more than expected.'” (10/24/25)