As the government shutdown dragged on, millions of Americans were struggling to make ends meet. Sarah, a single mother from Maryland, was down to her last $20 on her EBT card, wondering how she would feed herself and her two preteen boys. She had been rationing her Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for over a month, unsure when the next payment would hit her account.
Sarah's story is just one of many that illustrate the devastating consequences of the Democrats' decision to cave on their demands for Medicaid cuts and Affordable Care Act subsidies during the shutdown. "The pitch they made, it made sense," Sarah said. "Everyone knew it was going to be painful, but it was important...and they just wasted it all."
A group of eight Democratic senators, including Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., brokered a deal with Republican leadership to end the shutdown without forcing Republicans to make any major concessions on Medicaid cuts and ACA subsidies. The agreement is set to come up for a vote in the House on Wednesday evening, but it's likely to pass.
The consequences of this deal are stark: tens of millions of Americans will see their premiums skyrocket, and an estimated 7.8 million low-income Americans will lose their insurance through Medicaid. As one SNAP recipient, Delight Worthyn, put it, "We sacrificed and we would continue to sacrifice because we understood what the stakes were...And that they would cave for nothing after we have all gone through this. I only feel betrayed."
The Intercept spoke with four SNAP recipients who expressed outrage at Democrats for caving on their demands. Sasha Slansky, a full-time master's student, said it was "insulting" to use SNAP recipients as a justification for caving to Republicans. "Don't talk about me and my food insecurity to justify kicking people like me off of my health care," she said.
Others expressed frustration that Democrats did not build on their electoral victories in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and California earlier this month to pressure Republicans. Natalie, a delivery driver living in Washington state, said she wishes Democrats had used the momentum from these wins to push for more concessions from Republicans.
The shutdown has highlighted the deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare policy. As one observer noted, "This is not hyperbole: Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies...Yet far too many are still covering Trump's assault on democracy like politics as usual."
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
As one SNAP recipient put it, the Democrats' decision to cave on their demands will have a lasting impact on millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet. "It feels like we were making a small sacrifice...but it feels like it wasn't for anything," Natalie said.
The Intercept is independent of corporate interests and relies on donations from readers like you to continue our work. We urge you to join us in this fight to defend democracy and press freedom.
Sarah's story is just one of many that illustrate the devastating consequences of the Democrats' decision to cave on their demands for Medicaid cuts and Affordable Care Act subsidies during the shutdown. "The pitch they made, it made sense," Sarah said. "Everyone knew it was going to be painful, but it was important...and they just wasted it all."
A group of eight Democratic senators, including Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., brokered a deal with Republican leadership to end the shutdown without forcing Republicans to make any major concessions on Medicaid cuts and ACA subsidies. The agreement is set to come up for a vote in the House on Wednesday evening, but it's likely to pass.
The consequences of this deal are stark: tens of millions of Americans will see their premiums skyrocket, and an estimated 7.8 million low-income Americans will lose their insurance through Medicaid. As one SNAP recipient, Delight Worthyn, put it, "We sacrificed and we would continue to sacrifice because we understood what the stakes were...And that they would cave for nothing after we have all gone through this. I only feel betrayed."
The Intercept spoke with four SNAP recipients who expressed outrage at Democrats for caving on their demands. Sasha Slansky, a full-time master's student, said it was "insulting" to use SNAP recipients as a justification for caving to Republicans. "Don't talk about me and my food insecurity to justify kicking people like me off of my health care," she said.
Others expressed frustration that Democrats did not build on their electoral victories in New York, Virginia, New Jersey, and California earlier this month to pressure Republicans. Natalie, a delivery driver living in Washington state, said she wishes Democrats had used the momentum from these wins to push for more concessions from Republicans.
The shutdown has highlighted the deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans over healthcare policy. As one observer noted, "This is not hyperbole: Court orders are being ignored, MAGA loyalists have been put in charge of the military and federal law enforcement agencies...Yet far too many are still covering Trump's assault on democracy like politics as usual."
The Intercept has long covered authoritarian governments, billionaire oligarchs, and backsliding democracies around the world. We understand the challenge we face in Trump and the vital importance of press freedom in defending democracy.
As one SNAP recipient put it, the Democrats' decision to cave on their demands will have a lasting impact on millions of Americans who are struggling to make ends meet. "It feels like we were making a small sacrifice...but it feels like it wasn't for anything," Natalie said.
The Intercept is independent of corporate interests and relies on donations from readers like you to continue our work. We urge you to join us in this fight to defend democracy and press freedom.
. It's like they gave up all hope of holding Republicans accountable for the harm they're causing to vulnerable Americans 
. The fact that millions are going to lose their insurance is just devastating 
. And it's not just about the people losing coverage, it's also about the precedent it sets - if Democrats can just give in whenever Republicans push back, what's the point of having a strong healthcare system in the first place? 
$20 a month, that's the price some families have to pay because lawmakers can't agree on healthcare reform 
. It feels like they're more worried about their own power than people's lives 
. The shutdown may be over, but the pain will linger for millions who've been pushed off healthcare or are struggling to access basic necessities 
. Can't we put politics aside and focus on human needs for once? 
. It's just heartbreaking. I mean, I get it, politics can be messy, but this is just a whole different level of messed up 
. Can't they see that the stakes here are real? 
Those people on EBT cards aren't just statistics - they're families, friends, neighbors... they're human beings 
. We need better leadership than this 
.
the democrats agreed to cave on their demands for medicaid cuts & affordable care act subsidies and now ppl are gonna pay the price 
it's just so frustrating that the politicians are more worried about saving face than helping people 
#MomentumNeeded. If they wanted to build on those wins, they should've used them to fight for the people who need healthcare the most 
#ACAForAll.
#JusticeForAll. Let's make our voices heard and demand better from our politicians! 
#MakeYourVoiceHeard
for all these ppl struggling 
. I dont get why the dems had 2 cave like dat 
that's heartless 
. Democrats did us wrong, but lets try 2 move forward 
and make a difference in our own ways 
. It's like they told Sarah, the single mom from Maryland, "we sacrificed, now it's your turn to suffer" 
then they gotta go n take away our healthcare? 
like, we r not volunteering at soup kitches, ppl with med conditions need actual help.
, millions of Americans are struggling and it's not just about the money, it's about their health and wellbeing. I mean, can't we put politics aside for once? It feels like we're more concerned with winning elections than with helping people in need.
. I can only imagine how hard it must be for Sarah, a single mom struggling to make ends meet with her two preteen boys 
. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions 
. It's not just about healthcare, it's about basic human dignity and fairness 
. Let's make some noise and demand better from our politicians 
. Can't we all just try to work together for once? 
I mean, I know Democrats and Republicans have their differences, but come on...we need healthcare and food security, not more drama 
. It's like they gave up too easily 