Fetterman on shutdown: ‘Keeping the government hostage’ shouldn’t be Democrats’ ‘long game’

Government Shutdown & Funding - Senator Federman consistently voted to reopen the government and end the mass chaos caused by the shutdown [1][2] - The shutdown jeopardized food security for 2 million Americans and compromised aviation safety [3] - Millions of Americans were being punished and not receiving pay or food during the shutdown [11] - Shutting down the government is the wrong approach and should not be used as a long-term strategy [5][19][22] Affordable Care Act (ACA) Subsidies - Extending ACA subsidies is crucial, with potential premium hikes for 22 million people if subsidies are not extended [4][12][13] - Approximately 400,000 Pennsylvanians rely on ACA tax credits [13] - There is a need to negotiate a plan to extend ACA credits, aiming for bipartisan support to secure 60 votes [7][8] - All Democrats agree on the importance of extending tax credits, and there may be enough Republicans to support it [10] Political Strategy & Party Dynamics - Putting the country's needs over party interests is essential [7][16] - Feeding people and paying the military should not be political calculations [15][16] - Democrats should be able to hold different views within the party [18] - The focus should be on long-term goals, including recapturing the House in 2026 [18]