During a recent episode of CNN's "The Arena," Representative Ilhan Omar (D-MN) addressed the ongoing government shutdown, emphasizing the gravity of the situation as a healthcare crisis rather than a mere policy dispute.
"This is not a policy fight. This is a healthcare crisis," she asserted, underscoring the Democrats' commitment to this cause as "a worthy fight for us to be in." Omar further contended that Democrats have historically resolved shutdowns by engaging with Republicans, acknowledging their responsibility when they held the reins of power.
As reported by Breitbart, the discussion took a critical turn when host Kasie Hunt challenged Omar on the Democrats' stance, questioning whether they had assumed a risk by allowing the shutdown to persist. Hunt pointed out that Democrats have traditionally defended the government's role and previously argued against using policy disagreements as grounds for a shutdown.
Omar reiterated her position, stating, "This is not a policy fight. This is a healthcare crisis." Hunt interjected, suggesting that the issue fundamentally revolves around healthcare policy, to which Omar responded with a stark warning about the potential human cost: "Yeah, but we are going to see people die in this country because theyre not able to provide health care for themselves and for their families."
Omar expressed her dismay at what she perceives as Republican indifference to the plight of Americans affected by the shutdown. She criticized the GOP for their unwillingness to negotiate, stating, "What I am shocked by is the fact that Republicans have chosen to say, I dont care if you lose your health care, have chosen to say, I dont care if youre going to lose a paycheck, Im not going to sit down with Democrats."
Omar accused Republicans of neglecting the needs of vulnerable citizens, including children and the disabled, by refusing to engage in dialogue with Democrats.
The congresswoman lamented the current state of affairs, contrasting it with past Democratic efforts to end shutdowns through bipartisan cooperation. She argued that Republicans, now in control, are disregarding the American people's needs by refusing to find common ground with Democrats.
Omar concluded that this unwillingness to negotiate represents the "biggest problem" in the ongoing impasse.
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