Joining us right now is House Speaker Mike Johnson. And Speaker Johnson, thank you for being with us today. Um, people had been waiting to see what you would do and you decided to go with the more conservative part of your party to the consternation of some moderates, including Mike Lawler.What happened. What what uh made you decide to go this way. And what do you do with the moderates who are unhappy with this decision.>> Well, it wasn't the speaker's decision. It was consensus of the body. We have uh 220 ...

Government Intervention & Policy Changes - The Trump administration is anticipated to announce a plan to address rising health insurance premiums, potentially as early as this week [1][2] - The administration aims to secure the plan by January 30th [1] - Discussions involve the possibility of extending healthcare subsidies, potentially for an additional two years, with income caps and mandatory minimum premiums [4] Healthcare Costs & Accessibility - Healthcare prices are expected to decrease [1] - The White House is prioritizing the affordability and accessibility of healthcare [2] - A key point of contention, potentially leading to government shutdown, was the rising healthcare insurance costs for millions of Americans [2] Potential Policy Actions - President Trump has previously expressed a desire for direct payments to individuals to empower them in making healthcare decisions [3]

We want to turn now to a major piece of the affordability equation for many Americans, the cost of health care. We spent a lot of time talking about this. Congress remains divided not just on how to fix the expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, but whether it even needs to happen.The president this week seemed to rule out an extension of those subsidies, even as a recent poll from the health policy research group KFF finds most Americans support Congress extending the tax credits. And a majority view th ...

Healthcare Policy & Costs - Health insurance premiums are projected to double for approximately 20 million people [1] - Some individuals may experience a tripling or quadrupling of their health insurance premiums [1] - Potential loss of health insurance for 15 million people due to cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act [1] - Studies suggest these cuts could lead to approximately 50,000 deaths annually [1] Social Safety Net - Removal of contingency funding information for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) from the Department of Agriculture website [1] - Potential elimination of SNAP benefits for over 16 million children, parents, and grandparents [1]

Healthcare Insurance Premiums - Idaho is the first state to experience the impact on health insurance premiums without pandemic-era tax credits [1] - The situation regarding health insurance premiums is not favorable [1]

Government Shutdown & Public Opinion - Public approval of both Democrats and Republicans regarding their handling of the government shutdown is low, with approval numbers in the 20s and low 30s [1] - Few Americans believe either Democrat or Republican positions are worth shutting the government down for [1] - A poll indicates that Trump and Republicans receive slightly more blame (39%) than Democrats (30%) for the government shutdown, while a third blame both equally [6] Healthcare & Political Strategy - Democrats may need to hold out for approximately three weeks, until around November 1st, due to the notification of insurance premium increases [3] - Republicans may not want to be associated with rising insurance premiums, such as a potential $15,000 increase per family [4] - The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is more of a Democrat issue, and Republicans risk alienating their constituents who benefit from it if they cannot afford their health insurance [4][5] - A dashboard showing how healthcare costs will increase in each congressional district is considered a compelling story [8] - Democrats should emphasize that Republicans control the government and could end the shutdown [9] Republican Party Division - The Republican party is experiencing splintering, with some popular male podcasters and their fans turning against Trump [12] - There are accusations within the Republican party of some individuals secretly working against Trump [12] - Trump's coalition in 2024 was broad, and the party's current state is described as a "house of cards" due to the inability to control the various factions [13][14]

Healthcare Premiums - Millions of Americans purchasing their own health insurance are anticipated to face increased premiums next year [1] - The extent of these premium increases is a key point of contention in Congress, contributing to the federal government shutdown [1]

really feels like the Republicans are playing a little playing games on this and I don't think healthc care is a game. It's it it shouldn't be a game but clearly they have decided to make it a game. And it's interesting that you bring up the retaliation. The Republican response to us allegedly holding the government hostage is to go out and hurt the people, the very people that are serving our country and serving our constituents. This tells you who it is that they are fighting for. They didn't say they wer ...

Affordable Care Act (ACA) Subsidies and Healthcare Costs - The potential expiration of ACA tax credits could lead to a 75% increase in healthcare costs [3] - Approximately 22 million people rely on the marketplaces for health insurance [5] - The expiration of tax credits may cause younger, healthier individuals to drop coverage, leading to a high-risk pool of older and sicker individuals [6] - Without subsidies, hospitals may face increased costs due to uninsured patients seeking care [15][16] Political Stance and Healthcare Debate - Democratic leaders are demanding that Republicans link the extension of ACA subsidies to a short-term spending bill to avoid a government shutdown [1] - Republicans have repeatedly refused to address the ACA tax credit issue [8] - The debate includes accusations of fraud related to the expanded tax credits, which have been refuted [11] Healthcare Advice and Public Health Concerns - Concerns are raised about President Trump's medical advice, particularly regarding Tylenol use during pregnancy and its alleged link to autism [17][18] - The advice is considered dangerous and not backed by scientific evidence, potentially undermining public health [19][20]