Roundup: Dem Base Rallies Leaders to Stay Strong on Health Care Against the GOP as Shutdown Looms
See coverage in AP, Axios, Huffington Post, The Guardian, Politico
WASHINGTON – MoveOn Civic Action continues to encourage Congressional Democrats to stand united by refusing to agree to a government funding plan as long as ACA premium subsidies are on the chopping block and without any concessions from Trump and Republicans to reverse their massive healthcare cuts from the summer.
Earlier this month, MoveOn sent a memo to Democratic leadership and appropriation chairs from Executive Director Katie Bethell conveying the grassroots will have their back if they keep their word on fighting for Americans’ health care. MoveOn members have been vocal throughout September placing tens of thousands of calls to members of Congress to stop devastating Medicaid cuts and keep health care costs from skyrocketing.
See coverage below:
Politico: MoveOn demands Schumer and Jeffries ‘hold the line’ on health care in shutdown fight
The progressive group MoveOn urged Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a private letter that they should “hold the line” and withhold their votes to keep the government open unless GOP lawmakers make concessions on health care policy.
Axios: Scoop: Schumer’s private war room on government shutdown
“The battle lines that the grassroots of the party is drawing for the grasstops leadership is, hey, you got to be willing to fight,” said Joel Payne, MoveOn’s chief communications officer.
AP: As Democrats prepare for a possible federal shutdown, their endgame is uncertain
“America’s ability to endure this moment requires a Democratic Party driving a vibrant, impactful and public resistance,” Katie Bethell, executive director of liberal grassroots group MoveOn, wrote in a letter to party leaders.
“It would be naive to suggest that all the trust that Democratic elected officials have lost and squandered with their base voters can be regained in one moment or one fight,” said Joel Payne, chief of communications for MoveOn. “But I think it will go a long way to really start to reverse that relationship.”
The Guardian: Crunch time: Democrats ready for shutdown standoff over Republican health cuts
“It’s welcome news for the activist groups who rally voters. Indivisible’s national advocacy director Andrew O’Neill has credited Senate Democrats with “fighting smart” by sticking to their healthcare demands, and MoveOn spokesperson Joel Payne said his members “are encouraged that Democrats are so far holding the line.”
“Because of the depressed nature of the Democratic coalition right now, they need to be doing everything that they can do to inspire confidence and to inspire engagement from their base, for a lot of reasons,” he told the Guardian.”
Huffington Post: Democrats Actually Fighting; Progressives Pleasantly Surprised
Indivisible, MoveOn and other groups are encouraging Democrats to dig in for health care concessions from Republicans.
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