Republicans Control the Government: Here's What is at Stake

Dear Fellow Vermonter,

If you have seen or read the news lately, you have undoubtedly heard that the government shut down last night. It can be hard to cut through all the noise of cable news and social media and really understand what is going on in our nation’s capital. Let me tell you more about what is happening, and what I believe we should be doing to fund the government and improve the lives of Vermonters and people throughout the country.

As we all know, Republicans have a majority in the House and the Senate, and they also control the White House. They run the government. They have the responsibility, therefore, to keep it open. Unfortunately, they have failed to do that. 

For decades, Senate rules have required a 60-vote majority to pass legislation to fund the government. That means that with 53 members of the Republican caucus and 47 members of the Democratic caucus, passing a federal budget requires bipartisan support.

Unfortunately, for the past several months, Republicans have refused to negotiate with the Democratic caucus. Instead, they have tried to pass a status quo budget with no input from anyone but themselves.

What’s wrong with that?

First, the Republican budget means that 15 million Americans, including 45,000 Vermonters, will lose their health care as a result of the largest cut to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act in American history. I cannot vote, in good conscience, for a budget that will throw 15 million Americans off the health care they have.

Second, the Republican budget means that the price of health care premiums will more than double for 24 million Americans, including some 30,000 Vermonters who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act. Vermonters are already paying some of the highest prices in the world for health care. I will not, in good conscience, vote for a budget that makes this horrendous situation even worse. 

Third, the Republican budget means that the Trump administration will continue to restrict access to lifesaving vaccines that have saved tens of millions of lives. I will not, in good conscience, vote for a budget that undermines safe and effective vaccines.

Fourth, the Republican budget would continue to provide a $1 trillion tax break to the top 1%. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality, I will not, in good conscience, vote to hand more tax breaks to the wealthiest people in America who have never had it so good.

Fifth, in my view, we cannot allow this country to move toward authoritarianism by allowing President Trump to continue putting federal troops on city streets without a request from a governor or mayor. We cannot continue to allow ICE agents to snatch people off our streets without due process. We can’t allow the president to continue to undermine the Constitution and the rule of law by refusing to spend money appropriated by Congress.

Let me be more specific with what is at stake:

Health Care
I don’t have to tell you that the current health care system is dysfunctional, broken and cruel. We cannot make a horrible situation even worse. Studies show that up to 50,000 Americans will die unnecessarily every year if we do not reverse the cuts Trump’s so-called “Big, Beautiful Bill” makes to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. They must be rescinded. Every Vermonter, every businessperson and every union worker knows that the cost of health care in this country is astronomically high and unaffordable. If we do not act right now, Affordable Care Act tax credits will expire and premiums will increase by 114%, on average, for 24 million Americans — including some 30,000 in Vermont. 

Vaccines
Vaccines work. They are safe and effective and have saved millions of lives in America and throughout the world. At a time when Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has dismantled the vaccine review process, narrowed access to lifesaving COVID vaccines, fired leading public health experts and filled scientific advisory boards with conspiracy theorists and ideologues, we must stand with the scientific and medical communities and rescind his dangerous policies. This isn't about politics. We're talking about protecting our children from polio, measles, whooping cough and other preventable diseases.

Inequality
Whether Democrat, Republican or independent, the American people understand that the current economic system is rigged. They know that the very richest are becoming much richer while 60% of our people are living paycheck to paycheck. They know that while billionaires get huge tax breaks, they’re finding it harder to afford health care, housing, child care, education, prescription drugs or decent-quality food. Today, we have more income and wealth inequality than at any time in American history, and CEOs now earn over 350 times what their average workers make. While the billionaires become richer, real inflation-accounted-for weekly wages are lower today than they were 52 years ago. Enough is enough. At a time of such massive and growing inequality, it is insane to be giving a trillion dollars in tax breaks to the top 1%. If President Trump and Republicans want my vote, they will have to rescind that tax break for their oligarchic friends.

Authoritarianism
Our country today faces not only major economic crises. We are looking at unprecedented threats to our democratic form of government. We now have a president who frankly does not believe in our Constitution and the separation of powers, who does not believe in freedom of speech and the right to dissent, who is moving us every day toward an authoritarian form of government, with more and more power in his own hands. Too many Americans from Vermont and every other state have put their lives on the line to defend democracy: the right to live without fear, to express their point of view no matter what it may be, to vote without intimidation. Today, we have federal troops in American cities — without being requested by a governor or a mayor. Today in America, we have people being snatched off the streets or out of their workplaces by masked federal agents, thrown into vans and dispatched to detention centers without due process. Today we have a president sending some of these people to South Sudan, Uganda, El Salvador or God knows where. This is not acceptable. This is not what America is supposed to be about. These policies must be rescinded. The movement toward authoritarianism must be ended.

My fellow Vermonters: These are not ordinary times. This is not simply a debate about how much we spend on education or health care. It is a fight as to whether or not we continue to have a government of the people, by the people and for the people. 

Let us stand together, let us create a government and an economy that works for all of our people, let us vigorously oppose authoritarianism and save American democracy.

If the Republican leadership meets these basic demands, they’ve got my vote.

And if Republicans will not negotiate and the government is shut down — know that my office will be there for you, continuing to answer Vermonters’ calls. These are tough times, but my staff and I will do all we can to show you that the government can work for everyday people.

Sincerely,