On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA) said that the shutdown is about “the whole Republican budget, which did massive tax cuts to the wealthy, added $170 billion to DHS so that ICE agents can violate people’s rights all across the country.” And “It’s not just about the ACA.”
Co-host Boris Sanchez asked, “What Democrats have actually proposed is to reestablish benefits to people who are lawfully present in the country, and that includes asylum seekers, refugees, DACA recipients, etc. I do wonder, Congressman, what you make of the broader argument that the previous administration expanded parole and asylum programs — they argue — to the point of abuse, and that granting federal benefits to those folks is not only inappropriate, but also not a reason to shut down the federal government. Your response?”
Smith responded, “Well, that’s not the reason we’re having this budget fight. It is a distraction from the larger issue of the millions of people who are going to lose their health care under the Medicaid cuts and the cuts to the Affordable Care Act. They’re focusing on one little niche issue, and there [are] different pieces to it, to be sure. But the broader issue is the cuts to Medicaid, the cuts to the Affordable Care Act, and the whole Republican budget, which did massive tax cuts to the wealthy, added $170 billion to DHS so that ICE agents can violate people’s rights all across the country. That’s the budget that they expect Democrats to simply vote for. Their argument about the undocumented population is a tiny little portion of a larger argument. And by the way, I will point out, the Trump administration is busily pulling back that asylum status from thousands — hundreds of thousands of people and deporting them. So that number is going to be a lot smaller, but it is a tiny percentage of the people who are facing healthcare cuts because of the Republican budget.”
Smith added, “The Republican budget that is in place, and that they want us to continue, that’s what the continuing resolution is, is a set of priorities that Democrats don’t support. … It’s not just about the ACA.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
The post Dem Rep. Smith: Shutdown ‘Not Just About the ACA’, It’s ‘Whole Republican Budget’, Tax Cuts, Increased ICE Funding appeared first on Breitbart.
