Sen. James Lankford: The shutdown has a very real effect for a lot of families

Government Shutdown & Negotiation Standoff - The government shutdown has reached its 24th day, impacting federal employees and various services [1] - Senate adjourned for the weekend without reaching a deal, highlighting the difficulty in paying federal employees [1][2] - A key point of contention is healthcare, with Democrats and Republicans holding opposing stances compared to the 2013 Obamacare shutdown [5] - Democrats are perceived as unwilling to negotiate due to distrust of the former president, leading to a standstill [4] - Multiple attempts to pass appropriations bills in the Senate have been blocked by Democrats [8] - The shutdown is causing pain points, including air traffic delays, potentially leading to public frustration [10] Healthcare Debate & Affordable Care Act (ACA) - The debate includes extending Obamacare subsidies, with varying proposals from Democrats [16] - Republicans question the effectiveness of simply providing more money without addressing structural problems in the ACA [22] - From 2013 to 2019, premiums for Affordable Care Act plans in Oklahoma increased by 200%, while commercial insurance increased by 29% [21][30] - Concerns exist regarding potential fraud within the ACA program, particularly with zero-premium policies [25][26] - Some Republicans believe the ACA was designed to circumvent Hyde Amendment protections related to abortion funding [29]