Jeffries insists Democrats won’t budge on health care demands

ON UPFRONT? THE BLAME GAME, THE ADMINISTRATION HAS THE FUNDING. TEMPERS FLARE IN WASHINGTON. DAY 33 OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, AND WE’VE TRIED TO DO THAT 13 TIMES. YOU VOTED NO 13 TIMES. FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE HALTED 700,000 IMPACTED IN WISCONSIN. THEY DO HAVE MONEY. THEY SHOULD BE USING. WE’RE NOT GOING TO BE HELD HOSTAGE THIS SUNDAY. OUR EXCLUSIVE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MINORITY LEADER, HAKEEM JEFFRIES AND REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DERRICK VAN ORDEN, THEN WISCONSIN VOTERS. THE STRIKING THING IS EACH PARTY BLAMES THE OTHER OVERWHELMINGLY AND SEES THEIR SIDE AS DOING NOTHING WRONG. THE NEW MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL. WHO’S TO BLAME FOR THE SHUTDOWN AND THE NEW NUMBERS IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR? MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL DIRECTOR CHARLES FRANKLIN, WITH THE NEW ANALYSIS JUST MOMENTS AWAY. THIS IS UPFRONT WITH GERRON JORDAN AND POLITICAL DIRECTOR MATT SMITH. HI, EVERYONE. THANKS FOR JOINING US. THE STAKES DRAMATICALLY INTENSIFYING THIS WEEKEND. DAY 33 OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE BENEFITS HALTED THIS WEEKEND, IMPACTING SOME 700,000 WISCONSINITES, $114 MILLION A MONTH IN FEDERAL FUNDS FOR FOODSHARE IN WISCONSIN ALONE. FRIDAY AFTERNOON, A FEDERAL JUDGE ORDERED THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TO USE EMERGENCY FUNDS TO HELP CONTINUE PAYING FOR FEDERAL FOOD ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING FOODSHARE HERE IN WISCONSIN. BUT IT’S NOT ENOUGH TO COVER A FULL MONTH FOR SNAP NATIONWIDE, SO BENEFITS WILL LIKELY BOTH BE DELAYED AND REDUCED. THE JUDGE ORDERING THE ADMINISTRATION TO REPORT BACK ON ITS PROGRESS TOMORROW, JUST AS THE IMPACT IS BEING FELT HERE IN WISCONSIN. WE’LL GET TO IT ALL. WE BEGIN WITH THE DEMOCRATIC HOUSE MINORITY LEADER, HAKEEM JEFFRIES. MR. LEADER, GOOD TO SEE YOU. WELCOME TO THE SHOW. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR HAVING ME ON. LET’S BEGIN HERE. BOTH SIDES, AS YOU WELL KNOW, ARE SEEMING INCREDIBLY DUG IN AT THIS POINT. MORE WISCONSINITES NOW STARTING TO FEEL THE IMPACT. HOW MUCH PAIN ARE YOU ALLOWING FOR THIS TO GO BEFORE DEMOCRATS WOULD EVER CONSIDER SUPPORTING NOW A CLEAN FUNDING RESOLUTION? WELL, OUR VIEW FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, AS DEMOCRATS HAS BEEN WE WANT TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. WE WANT TO ENACT A BIPARTISAN SPENDING AGREEMENT THAT ACTUALLY MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME DECISIVELY ADDRESSING THE REPUBLICAN HEALTH CARE CRISIS, WHERE WE’VE SEEN REPUBLICANS ENACT THE LARGEST CUT TO MEDICAID IN AMERICAN HISTORY. WE KNOW HOSPITALS AND NURSING HOMES AND COMMUNITY BASED HEALTH CENTERS ARE CLOSING ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY BECAUSE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT ONE BIG, UGLY BILL. AND NOW, UNFORTUNATELY, REPUBLICANS ARE REFUSING TO EXTEND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS, AND THAT’S GOING TO RESULT IN TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS, INCLUDING MANY PEOPLE THROUGHOUT WISCONSIN, EXPERIENCING DRAMATICALLY INCREASED HEALTH CARE PREMIUMS THAT WILL BE UNAFFORDABLE. SO TO NEGOTIATE THAT POINT BLANK, IS THERE ANY SCENARIO YOU WOULD BACK A CLEAN FUNDING RESOLUTION? WELL, WE’VE SAID FROM THE BEGINNING THAT A BIPARTISAN SPENDING BILL REQUIRES REPUBLICANS TO SIT DOWN WITH DEMOCRATS TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, DURING THIS SHUTDOWN, REPUBLICANS HAVE ACTUALLY REFUSED TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH US AS DEMOCRATS. AND ALL WE’VE ASKED FOR IS TO TRY TO FIND COMMON GROUND SO WE CAN. IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE COST OF LIVING HAS BEEN WAY TOO HIGH FOR FAR TOO MANY PEOPLE. WE KNOW THAT DONALD TRUMP PROMISED TO LOWER THE HIGH COST OF LIVING ON DAY ONE, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, COSTS AREN’T GOING DOWN. THEY’RE GOING UP. THESE ARE ISSUES THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE UNDERSTANDABLY WANT THE CONGRESS TO ADDRESS. BUT IN ORDER FOR THAT TO HAPPEN, WE HAVE TO ENTER INTO A BIPARTISAN NEGOTIATION. SO NO SCENARIO YOU WOULD SUPPORT A CLEAN FUNDING RESOLUTION. WELL, IN OUR VIEW, A CLEAN SPENDING BILL REQUIRES REPUBLICANS DROP THEIR REFUSAL TO CONTINUE TO GUT THE HEALTH CARE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. SO, LEADER, YOUR GOAL IS TO BRING REPUBLICANS TO THE TABLE HERE TO EXTEND OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES. IS IT FAIR TO SAY THAT AT THIS POINT, THAT STRATEGY IS JUST NOT WORKING? I THINK IT’S FAIR TO SAY THAT TENS OF MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHO HAVE BEEN RECEIVING NOTICES OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS CONSISTENTLY HAVE COMMUNICATED WITH THE CONGRESS. THIS IS BOTH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS ACROSS THE COUNTRY MAKING IT CLEAR THAT WE NEED TO EXTEND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS. MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE, ONE OF THE MOST CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS IN THE CONGRESS, HAS MADE CLEAR THAT THIS IS A REAL ISSUE. IT’S GOING TO IMPACT HER CONSTITUENTS. WE KNOW, IN FACT, THAT THE FIVE STATES THAT WILL BE MOST IMPACTED BY THE REPUBLICAN REFUSAL TO EXTEND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS ARE REPUBLICAN HELD STATES. SO THIS IS NOT A PARTIZAN FIGHT FOR US. IT’S A FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN AND A FIGHT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. WORKING CLASS PEOPLE, MIDDLE CLASS PEOPLE, AND EVERYDAY AMERICANS. THIS PAST WEEK, THE CENTERS OF MEDICARE AND MEDICAID SERVICES SAID MOST PEOPLE ON OBAMACARE WOULD STILL HAVE ACCESS TO PLANS THAT COST $50 A MONTH OR LESS, EVEN IF THE ENHANCED SUBSIDIES AREN’T EXTENDED. IS THAT REASONABLE FOR YOU? THAT’S A STONE COLD LIE. AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE KNOW IT BECAUSE THEY ARE RECEIVING NOTICES AS WE SPEAK, INDICATING THAT IF THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS EXPIRE, THEIR PREMIUMS ARE GOING TO INCREASE. IN SOME CASES BY 1000 OR $2000 PER MONTH. SO THIS IS NOT A DEBATABLE ISSUE. AND REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING DERRICK VAN ORDEN, ARE HEARING FROM THEIR OWN CONSTITUENTS THAT SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, REPUBLICANS HAVE REFUSED TO EXTEND THESE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS WHEN MORE THAN 90% OF THE PEOPLE WHO RECEIVE THEM MAKE ABOUT $63,000 OR LESS. THIS IS A FIGHT FOR WORKING CLASS AMERICANS IN WISCONSIN AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. WHEN DO YOU PLAN TO TALK WITH SPEAKER JOHNSON NEXT, OR ANY SENATE LEADERS? SPEAKER JOHNSON AND I HAD A BRIEF CONVERSATION YESTERDAY. WE REITERATED OUR OPENNESS AS DEMOCRATS TO SIT DOWN WITH HIM OR ANY REPUBLICAN, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE, EITHER AT THE CAPITOL, OR WE’LL GO BACK TO THE WHITE HOUSE IN ORDER TO NEGOTIATE A BIPARTISAN SPENDING AGREEMENT THAT REOPENS THE GOVERNMENT THAT ENDS THIS. YOU KNOW, TRUMP SHUTDOWN. IF YOU GET THAT MEETING IN THE COMING DAYS WITH THE PRESIDENT OR REPUBLICAN LEADERS, WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO CONCEDE IN NEGOTIATIONS? WELL, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, EVERYTHING IS ON THE TABLE. AND AS WE’VE INDICATED, AS HOUSE DEMOCRATS, WE LOOK FORWARD TO CONSIDERING ANYTHING THAT EMERGED FROM THE SENATE IN GOOD FAITH IN A BIPARTISAN WAY. AS LONG AS IT ACTUALLY IS A DESIGNED TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE IN THREE AREAS THEIR HEALTH, THEIR PUBLIC SAFETY, AND OUR ECONOMIC WELL-BEING. IN TERMS OF DRIVING DOWN THE HIGH COST OF LIVING IN WISCONSIN AND THROUGHOUT AMERICA. SO WHY NOT JUST REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT, THEN NEGOTIATE HEALTH CARE? I THINK THE PROBLEM WITH REPUBLICANS IS THAT THEY’VE REPEATEDLY FAILED TO EXTEND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS. THEY VOTED AGAINST IT MULTIPLE TIMES THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR, WHILE AT THE SAME PERIOD OF TIME ENACTING THE ONE BIG UGLY BILL, WHICH PUT INTO PLACE THE LARGEST CUT TO MEDICAID IN AMERICAN HISTORY. AND IT’S ALSO IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER ON THIS HEALTH CARE ISSUE THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE VOTED MORE THAN 70 TIMES SINCE 2010 TO REPEAL THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. AND SO I THINK IT’S REASONABLE TO CONCLUDE THAT IF REPUBLICANS DECIDED THAT THE WEALTHIEST PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY THAT THEIR BILLIONAIRE DONORS SHOULD BENEFIT FROM PERMANENT TAX BREAKS, THAT AT THIS MOMENT IN TIME, WHERE THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT TAX CREDITS ARE ABOUT TO EXPIRE, THAT WORKING CLASS AMERICANS, MIDDLE CLASS AMERICANS AND EVERYDAY AMERICANS IN WISCONSIN AND THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY SHOULD HAVE A SIMILAR LEVEL OF CERTAINTY, PARTICULARLY AS WE APPROACH OPEN ENROLLMENT OR IN THE OPEN ENROLLMENT PERIOD. AND THE REALITY OF THESE MASSIVE HEALTH CARE PREMIUM INCREASES IS GOING TO HIT PEOPLE LIKE A ROCK. HOUSE MINORITY LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES. MR. LEADER, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. HERE’S WHAT PRESIDENT TRUMP SAID FRIDAY AFTERNOON ABOUT MEETING WITH DEMOCRATS. ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS SAY, LET’S GO. LET’S OPEN UP OUR COUNTRY AND EVERYTHING SNAPS BACK INTO SHAPE. LET THEM OPEN UP THE COUNTRY AND WE’LL MEET. WE’LL MEET VERY QUICKLY. REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN DERRICK VAN ORDEN TESTIFIED AT THE STATE CAPITOL THIS PAST WEEK, AND TALKED WITH REPORTERS ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN. THIS ISN’T RESOLVED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, AND SNAP BENEFITS ARE RUNNING OUT. SHOULD THE STATE STEP IN? SHOULD LEGISLATORS VOTE HERE TO OPEN UP THE MONEY TO FILL THAT AT THE STATE LEVEL? I WOULD, AND I’M ALSO A CO-SPONSOR OF A BILL TO ACTUALLY FUND SNAP. WE JUST GOT THAT DONE YESTERDAY WITH MARINETTE MILLER-MEEKS FROM IOWA. I DON’T THINK YOU GUYS KNOW THIS ABOUT ME, BUT I WAS RAISED IN ABJECT RURAL POVERTY AND WE HAD FOOD STAMPS. WE ACTUALLY HAD A STAMP ON A CARD THAT YOU WENT TO THE GROCERY STORE. I HAD SUBSIDIZED LUNCHES, GOVERNMENT CHEESE, THE WHOLE THING. AND SO THESE PROGRAMS ARE VITAL. JUST FOOD STAMPS. YOU DON’T THINK THE USDA SHOULD TAP INTO CONTINGENCY FUNDS? I DIDN’T SAY THAT, DID I? THEY CAN’T LEGALLY DO IT. READ THE PAPER. READ THE FINE PRINT. WE TALKED FRIDAY JUST BEFORE THE JUDGE’S RULING IN THE SNAP CASE ON THE SHUTDOWN. CONGRESSMAN, AS WE SIT HERE THIS WEEK, THERE’S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT SUBSIDIES AND THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. IT’S A CENTERPIECE OF THIS THIS STANDOFF IN TERMS OF THE SHUTDOWN. IF A PACKAGE, SAY, CAME OVER FROM THE SENATE TO THE HOUSE, WOULD YOU SUPPORT EXPANDING THE SUBSIDIES, SAY, FOR A YEAR? LET’S LET’S BE CRYSTAL CLEAR. THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE HAVE VOTED 14 TIMES TO SHUT DOWN THE GOVERNMENT. THE THE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE, INCLUDING TAMMY BALDWIN, HAVE VOTED 14 TIMES TO NOT SEND $500 MILLION TO THE STATE OF WISCONSIN FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE. SO WHEN THE DEMOCRATS ARE SAYING THEY’RE IN THIS FIGHT FOR HEALTH CARE, THEY’RE SIMPLY LYING. THEY’VE SHUT DOWN THE $50 BILLION RURAL HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE THAT THE REPUBLICANS GOT PASSED. SO WHEN THEY’RE SAYING THEY’RE FIGHTING FOR HEALTH CARE, THEY’RE LYING. SO THE STATE OF WISCONSIN IS SUPPOSED TO GET $500 MILLION FOR RURAL HEALTH CARE INFRASTRUCTURE. AND THE DEMOCRATS SPECIFICALLY WROTE THAT OUT OF THEIR COUNTERPROPOSAL. AND I’M NOT VOTING FOR THAT. WE HAD HSHS CLOSE IN EAU CLAIRE. IT’S A HUGE SYSTEM. WE HAD 700 LADIES THAT HAD TO FIND DIFFERENT PLACES, INCLUDING DRIVING TO THE STATE OF MINNESOTA TO DELIVER BABIES. AND TAMMY BALDWIN HAS VOTED 14 TIMES TO DEFUND THAT RURAL HEALTH CARE FUND. IT’S ABSURD. ON THE SUBSIDIES, DO YOU SUPPORT EXTENDING THOSE? HERE’S WHAT I SUPPORT OPENING UP THE GOVERNMENT AND LETTING US GET BACK AND ACTUALLY TALK. SO I’M NOT GOING TO BE HELD HOSTAGE TO THESE FOLKS. THIS IS A PROCEDURAL VOTE. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE ALREADY. ALL OF THE DEMOCRATS HAVE VOTED FOR THIS SAME PACKAGE 13 TIMES ALREADY. SO OPEN UP THE GOVERNMENT AND THEN WE’LL SIT DOWN AND TALK ABOUT ANYTHING. IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE A DELIBERATIVE BODY. IT’S NOT SUPPOSED TO BE A BODY WHERE ONE PARTY IS HOLDING THE OTHER PARTY HOSTAGE. AS YOU KNOW, ON THIS FRONT, DEMOCRATS AND THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE HAVE SAID THAT WISCONSINITES ACROSS THE STATE COULD PAY HUNDREDS, EVEN THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS MORE IN OBAMACARE PREMIUMS IF THE SUBSIDIES ARE NOT EXPANDED. TONY EVERS WANTS YOU TO FOCUS ON THIS SO THAT YOU DON’T FOCUS ON THE FACT THAT HE IS THE DPI. PREVIOUS TO 2018, AND THERE’S OVER 200 CASES SINCE 2018 OF WISCONSIN SCHOOLCHILDREN BEING GROOMED AND MOLESTED BY THEIR TEACHERS. THAT’S WHAT HE’S DOING. CONGRESSMAN, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF CONGRESSWOMAN MARJORIE TAYLOR GREENE? OBVIOUSLY A REPUBLICAN, A MEMBER OF YOUR PARTY ATTACKING REPUBLICAN LEADERS, AS SHE SAYS, FOR NOT ADDRESSING RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS. YOU KNOW WHAT? MARJORIE AND I ARE VERY CORDIAL TOGETHER. WE DISAGREE ON SEVERAL DIFFERENT THINGS. IS THIS ONE OF THEM? LISTEN, MARJORIE AND I ARE FRIENDS, AND WE DISAGREE ON A LOT OF DIFFERENT POLICY ISSUES. AND SO THE ATTACKS THAT SHE’S MAKING ON REPUBLICAN LEADERS FOR NOT ADDRESSING RISING HEALTH CARE COSTS, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF THAT? THAT’S MARJORIE’S OPINION. DEMOCRATS ARE CRITICIZING HOUSE REPUBLICANS FOR NOT BEING IN SESSION FOR THE ENTIRE SHUTDOWN. HERE WE ARE, DAY 33. IS THAT A FAIR CRITICISM? NO. OVER A MONTH AGO, WE PASSED A CLEAN CR. THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS, OVER A MONTH AGO PASSED A CLEAN CR, SENT IT OVER TO THE SENATE, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY, A OPPOSITION PARTY VOTED DOWN A CLEAN CR. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS EVER HAPPENED. REMEMBER, GENTLEMEN, THIS IS THE SAME CR THAT THESE SENATE REPUBLICANS VOTED FOR 13 TIMES. THE DIFFERENCE NOW IS THAT CHUCK SCHUMER’S WORRIED ABOUT HIS JOB. SO AS WE WRAP HERE, CONGRESSMAN, IT SEEMS LIKE BOTH SIDES ARE ENTRENCHED AT THIS POINT. I MEAN, HOW DOES THIS COME TO AN END IF IF THERE ARE NOT FIVE DEMOCRATS IN THE SENATE WHO VOTE FOR THIS CONTINUING RESOLUTION? HOW THIS ENDS IS THAT THE SENATE DEMOCRATS PUT THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ABOVE THEIR PARTY, PERIOD. AND IF THEY DON’T, THAT’S UP TO THEM. AN. LISTEN, OVER 30 DAYS AGO, THE HOUSE REPUBLICANS PASSED A CLEAN CR. WE SENT IT OVER TO THE SENATE, AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY, THE UNITED STATES, IN OPPOSITION PARTY VOTED DOWN A CLEAN CR FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. AND IT’S SHAMEFUL THAT NORTON WAS REFERRING TO A RECENT KAT TIME STORY AND HEARING AT THE STATE CAPITOL. STATE SUPERINTENDENT JILL UNDERLY CRITICIZED FOR HOW THE STATE HANDLES ALLEGATIONS OF GROOMING AND SEXUAL MISCONDUCT IN WISCONSIN SCHOOLS. REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE NOW CALLING FOR CHANGES. UNDERLY HAS DISPUTED SOME OF THE REPORTING. COMING UP, WISCONSIN VOTERS ON THE SHUTDOWN. WHO’S TO BLAME IN THE PIVOTAL BATTLEGROUND STATE? PLUS, THE NEW NUMBERS IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL DIRECTOR CHARLES FRANKLIN IS STANDING BY NEXT. WELCOME BACK. A NEW MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL IS OUT, AND WE HAVE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT WISCONSIN VOTERS ARE FEELING ABOUT THE SHUTDOWN. BROADLY, A ROUGHLY EVEN SPLIT 38% BLAMING REPUBLICANS, 33%. DEMOCRATS AND 28% SAY BOTH. BUT WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN BY PARTY, LOOK AT THIS. JUST 2% OF REPUBLICANS BLAME THEIR OWN PARTY. 71% OF REPUBLICANS SAY IT’S DEMOCRATS FAULT. 0% OF DEMOCRATS BLAME THEIR PARTY. 82% POINTING THE FINGER AT REPUBLICANS. LET’S BRING IN CHARLES FRANKLIN, DIRECTOR OF THE MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL. CHARLES, IT’S ALWAYS GOOD TO SEE YOU. LET’S START RIGHT THERE. HOW STRIKING IS THIS DIVIDE AMONG REPUBLICAN AND DEMOCRATIC VOTERS IN THE STATE AND WHO THEY’RE BLAMING FOR THE SHUTDOWN? WELL, I THINK THE RELATIVELY EVENLY DIVIDE IN BLAME OVERALL IS SOMETHING THAT WE’RE SEEING IN OTHER NATIONAL POLLING AS WELL. A LITTLE MORE BLAME TO REPUBLICANS, BUT STILL PLENTY OF BLAME TO GO AROUND. AND A FAIR CHUNK THAT BLAME BOTH. BUT WHEN YOU GO WITHIN THE PARTY, THIS IS THE PERFECT EXAMPLE OF SEEING THE FAULT IN OUR OPPONENTS AND SEEING OURSELVES AS COMPLETELY BLAMELESS OR NEARLY COMPLETELY BLAMELESS. IT’S THE INDEPENDENTS THAT HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF A LOOK ON THIS. 63% OF INDEPENDENTS SAY BOTH PARTIES ARE TO BLAME. CHARLES, WE JUST HEARD FROM LEADER JEFFRIES AND CONGRESSMAN VAN ORDEN, DEEPLY ENTRENCHED IN THEIR SIDES THIS WEEKEND. ARE THESE NUMBERS POTENTIALLY ACTUALLY MOTIVATING FACTORS FOR LAWMAKERS TO NOT COMPROMISE? I THINK THAT BECAUSE IT’S NOT A HEAVY SKEW TO ONE PARTY OR THE OTHER TO BLAME RELATIVELY EVEN BALANCE BETWEEN THOSE. AT THIS STAGE, IT’D BE HARD TO SAY THAT ONE PARTY IS DRAMATICALLY SUFFERING GREATER HARM THAN THE OTHER PARTY. THAT, OF COURSE, COULD CHANGE AS THE TRAVEL SEASON RAMPS UP AND OTHER POTENTIAL DISRUPTIONS OCCUR. AND CHARLES, AS WE’RE NOW IN THE MIDST OF OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, WISCONSIN VOTERS ARE SAYING THAT HEALTH CARE IS A TOP CONCERN. IS THIS ONE OF THE REASONS, PERHAPS, IN THE ATTENTION THE SUBSIDIES HAVE RECEIVED IN RECENT WEEKS? I THINK SO. HEALTH CARE WASN’T BEING MENTIONED AS A MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM IN OUR POLLS IN JUNE. FOR EXAMPLE. NOW IT’S THE SECOND BIGGEST CONCERN, THIRD HIGHEST ON THE MOST IMPORTANT PROBLEM. AND WE SEE 58% WANT THOSE TAX CREDITS FOR HEALTHCARE PURCHASES. EXTENDED. JUST 41% ARE OPPOSED. BUT THERE IS A PARTY SPLIT ON THAT WITH MORE REPUBLICANS SAYING LET THE TAX CREDITS EXPIRE, MORE DEMOCRATS SAYING EXTEND THEM. YOU HAVE NEW POLLING, CHARLES. ALSO ON NEXT YEAR’S GOVERNOR’S RACE, 70% OF REPUBLICANS, ROUGHLY 80% OF DEMOCRATS SAY THAT THEY’RE UNDECIDED IN THE RACE FOR GOVERNOR. I KNOW WE ALWAYS TALK ABOUT THESE POLLS BEING A SNAPSHOT IN TIME, BUT IS THERE ANYTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THESE NUMBERS RIGHT NOW IN THIS RACE? NOT ESPECIALLY. ACTUALLY, IF YOU REMEMBER THAT ALL OF THESE CANDIDATES IN BOTH PARTIES FOR GOVERNOR ARE NON INCUMBENTS, THEY’RE NOT PEOPLE WHO’VE HELD HELD THE OFFICE BEFORE. IF YOU LOOK AT OUR PRIMARY POLLING GOING ALL THE WAY BACK TO 2012, NON-INCUMBENT CANDIDATES AND PARTIES USUALLY START IN THE SINGLE DIGITS OF NAME ID OR MAYBE THE TEENS. THIS TIME WE HAVE ONE TOM TIFFANY AT 39% WHO RECOGNIZE HIS NAME, AND WE HAVE THREE DEMOCRATS. CROWLEY, RODRIGUEZ AND HOANG WHO ARE IN THE 20S AMONG THE DEMOCRATS. BUT ALL THE OTHER CANDIDATES ARE IN THE TEENS. THAT’S NOT UNUSUAL. IN THE PAST, PRIMARY CANDIDATES HAVEN’T GOTTEN WELL KNOWN UNTIL WE GET INTO JUNE AND JULY. NEVERTHELESS, THIS POLL GIVES US THE BASELINE THAT WE’LL SEE HOW IT BUILDS FROM HERE. GIVEN THIS MASSIVE NUMBER OF UNDECIDEDS, YOU STILL DID DO A HYPOTHETICAL HEAD TO HEAD MATCHUPS FOR THE PRIMARIES. IS THERE ANYTHING WE CAN GLEAN FROM THOSE AT THIS POINT? I THINK RELATIVELY LITTLE. TIFFANY IS GOT A FAIRLY CLEAR LEAD IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, BUT HE’S STILL AT HIS SUPPORT IS ONLY IN THE MID 20S. IT’S NOT A COMMANDING LEAD. AND IN THE DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY, THE TOP VOTE GETTER GOT 6%. AND ALL THE OTHER SIX CANDIDATES WERE LESS THAN 6% SUPPORT. IF ANYBODY STARTS TO BREAK OUT OF THIS FIELD, THEY WILL START FROM SUCH A LOW BASE THAT IT’LL BE KIND OF STRIKING IF SOMEBODY MOVES UP. BUT REALLY, THIS IS TRULY ANYBODY’S GAME ON THE DEMOCRATIC SIDE. I THINK YOU’D GIVE TIFFANY AN EDGE ON THE REPUBLICAN SIDE, BUT STILL GETTING ONLY 24, 25% IS NOT ENOUGH TO DECLARE HIM THE PRESUMPTIVE WINNER. CHARLES FRANKLIN, DIRECTOR OF THE MARQUETTE LAW SCHOOL POLL. CHARLES, LIKE ALWAYS, WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. UP NEXT, SHUTDOWN POLITICS MEETS THE FOOD BANK. THIS WEEKEND, FOOD PANTRY IS BRACING FOR AN INFLUX. THE CITY OF MILWAUKEE HOSTING FOOD DRIVES AT A NUMBER OF LOCATIONS, INCLUDING FISERV FORUM. MATT KING IS CEO OF HUNGER TASK FORCE IN MILWAUKEE. HOW FRUSTRATING IS IT FOR YOU WHEN YOU JUST WATCH DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS? ALL SIDES OF THE AISLE SEEM TO BE IN THEIR TRENCHES ON THIS ONE, AND NOTHING’S HAPPENING. YEAH, WELL, SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARDS TO HUNGER, THIS IS NOT A PARTIZAN ISSUE. AND SO TO SEE OLDER ADULTS AND FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN IN OUR COMMUNITY STRUGGLING AS A RESULT OF THIS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS IMMENSELY FRUSTRATING. AND THE UNCERTAINTY AROUND IT IS SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED. I’M ASSUMING THERE ARE REPUBLICANS, DEMOCRATS, INDEPENDENTS, AND EVERYONE IN BETWEEN IN WISCONSIN WHO USE FOODSHARE BENEFITS. THAT’S CORRECT. YEAH. GOVERNOR EVERS THIS PAST WEEK TOURING THE STATE, HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPACT OF BOTH FOODSHARE AND THE OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES. UP NEXT, THE RATE CUT. BEFORE WE GO. THE FED CUTTING INTEREST RATES A QUARTER POINT THIS PAST WEEK. BUT CHAIRMAN JEROME POWELL SAYS THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE COME DECEMBER. RECENTLY, OUR INTERVIEW WITH FEDERAL RESERVE BANK OF CHICAGO PRESIDENT AUSTAN GOOLSBEE, A VOTING MEMBER ON THE INTEREST RATE COMMITTEE, HIS HESITATION WITH CUTTING RATES TOO FAST. THE INTERVIEW YOU CAN WATCH RIGHT NOW ON THE 12 NEWS YOUTUBE PAGE. JUST LOOK FOR AND SUBSCRIBE TO THE UPFRONT PLAYLIST. WELL, THAT’S OUR SHOW TODAY. THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. WE’LL SEE YOU RIGHT BACK HERE

Jeffries insists Democrats won’t budge on health care demands in ‘UPFRONT’ interview

‘UPFRONT’ recap: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Rep. Derrick Van Orden discuss shutdown latest

Updated: 9:30 AM CST Nov 2, 2025

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Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats aren’t budging in their health care demands to reopen the federal government. “We want to enact a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the people of Wisconsin and the people of this great country while at the same time decisively addressing the Republican health care crisis,” Jeffries said on WISN 12’s ‘UPFRONT,’ which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “We’ve said from the beginning that a bipartisan spending bill requires Republicans to sit down with Democrats to reopen the government, but unfortunately during this shutdown, Republicans have actually refused to have a conversation with us as Democrats.” Jeffries disputed claims that Democrats’ shutdown strategy isn’t working as they continue to push to extend the expanded subsidies for the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year. “This is not a debatable issue,” Jeffries said. “And Republican members of Congress, including Derrick Van Orden, are hearing from their own constituents that something needs to be done to address this issue, and unfortunately, Republicans have refused to extend these Affordable Care Act tax credits where more than 90% of the people who receive them make about $63,000 or less. This is a fight for working-class Americans in Wisconsin and throughout the country.” Jeffries said he talked with House Speaker Mike Johnson briefly last week and said Democrats will negotiate with Republicans “any time, any place, either at the Capitol or we’ll go back to the White House.” When asked what Democrats are willing to concede in negotiations, Jeffries said, “Everything is on the table, and as we’ve indicated as House Democrats, we look forward to considering anything that emerged from the Senate in good faith in a bipartisan way as long as it actually is designed to improve the quality of life of the American people in three areas — their health, their public safety and our economic well-being.” Meantime, GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden wouldn’t say whether he would vote to expand Affordable Care Act subsidies if a vote came to the U.S. House. “Let’s be crystal clear, the Democrats in the Senate have voted 14 times to shut down the government,” Van Orden said. “The Democrats in the Senate, including Tammy Baldwin, have voted 14 times to not send $500 million to the state of Wisconsin for rural health care infrastructure. So when Democrats say they’re in this fight for health care, they’re simply lying.” “Here’s what I support,” Van Orden said when asked again about subsidies. “I support opening up the government and letting us get back and actually talk. So I’m not going to be held hostage to these folks. This is a procedural vote. It should have been done early. All the Democrats have voted for this same package 13 times already, this continuing resolution. So open up the government, and we’ll sit down. We’ll talk about anything.” Van Orden dismissed criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a fellow Republican, who has criticized party leaders for not adequately addressing rising health care costs during the shutdown. “Marjorie and I are very cordial together,” Van Orden said. “We disagree on several different things.” When asked how the shutdown will end if Senate Democrats don’t vote for the clean funding bill, Van Orden said, “It’s up to them. Over 30 days ago, the House Republicans passed a clean CR (continuing resolution). We sent it over to the Senate, and for the first time in the history of the United States, the main opposition party voted down a clean CR for political purposes, and it’s shameful.” Marquette Law School poll director Charles Franklin says Wisconsin’s independent voters have the least partisan view on the government shutdown, with 63% blaming both parties in a new Marquette poll.”When you go within the party, this is the perfect example of seeing the fault in our opponents and seeing ourselves as completely blameless or nearly completely blameless,” Franklin said. “It’s independents that have a little bit of a look on this.” In the poll, just 2% of Republicans and 0% of Democrats blamed their own party for the shutdown. “I think that because it’s not a heavy skew to one party or the other to blame, relatively even balance between those at this stage, would be hard to say that one party is dramatically suffering greater than the other party,” Franklin said. “That, of course, could change as the travel season ramps up and other potential disruptions occur.” The poll also found 58% of Wisconsin voters support extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act at the heart of the shutdown debate.”But there is a party split on that with more Republicans saying let the tax credits expire, more Democrats saying extending them,” Franklin said.

Democratic House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries says Democrats aren’t budging in their health care demands to reopen the federal government.

“We want to enact a bipartisan spending agreement that actually meets the needs of the people of Wisconsin and the people of this great country while at the same time decisively addressing the Republican health care crisis,” Jeffries said on WISN 12’s ‘UPFRONT,’ which is produced in partnership with WisPolitics. “We’ve said from the beginning that a bipartisan spending bill requires Republicans to sit down with Democrats to reopen the government, but unfortunately during this shutdown, Republicans have actually refused to have a conversation with us as Democrats.”

Jeffries disputed claims that Democrats’ shutdown strategy isn’t working as they continue to push to extend the expanded subsidies for the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at the end of the year.

“This is not a debatable issue,” Jeffries said. “And Republican members of Congress, including Derrick Van Orden, are hearing from their own constituents that something needs to be done to address this issue, and unfortunately, Republicans have refused to extend these Affordable Care Act tax credits where more than 90% of the people who receive them make about $63,000 or less. This is a fight for working-class Americans in Wisconsin and throughout the country.”

Jeffries said he talked with House Speaker Mike Johnson briefly last week and said Democrats will negotiate with Republicans “any time, any place, either at the Capitol or we’ll go back to the White House.”

When asked what Democrats are willing to concede in negotiations, Jeffries said, “Everything is on the table, and as we’ve indicated as House Democrats, we look forward to considering anything that emerged from the Senate in good faith in a bipartisan way as long as it actually is designed to improve the quality of life of the American people in three areas — their health, their public safety and our economic well-being.”

Meantime, GOP Rep. Derrick Van Orden wouldn’t say whether he would vote to expand Affordable Care Act subsidies if a vote came to the U.S. House.

“Let’s be crystal clear, the Democrats in the Senate have voted 14 times to shut down the government,” Van Orden said. “The Democrats in the Senate, including Tammy Baldwin, have voted 14 times to not send $500 million to the state of Wisconsin for rural health care infrastructure. So when Democrats say they’re in this fight for health care, they’re simply lying.”

“Here’s what I support,” Van Orden said when asked again about subsidies. “I support opening up the government and letting us get back and actually talk. So I’m not going to be held hostage to these folks. This is a procedural vote. It should have been done early. All the Democrats have voted for this same package 13 times already, this continuing resolution. So open up the government, and we’ll sit down. We’ll talk about anything.”

Van Orden dismissed criticism from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a fellow Republican, who has criticized party leaders for not adequately addressing rising health care costs during the shutdown.

“Marjorie and I are very cordial together,” Van Orden said. “We disagree on several different things.”

When asked how the shutdown will end if Senate Democrats don’t vote for the clean funding bill, Van Orden said, “It’s up to them. Over 30 days ago, the House Republicans passed a clean CR (continuing resolution). We sent it over to the Senate, and for the first time in the history of the United States, the main opposition party voted down a clean CR for political purposes, and it’s shameful.”

Marquette Law School poll director Charles Franklin says Wisconsin’s independent voters have the least partisan view on the government shutdown, with 63% blaming both parties in a new Marquette poll.

“When you go within the party, this is the perfect example of seeing the fault in our opponents and seeing ourselves as completely blameless or nearly completely blameless,” Franklin said. “It’s independents that have a little bit of a look on this.”

In the poll, just 2% of Republicans and 0% of Democrats blamed their own party for the shutdown.

“I think that because it’s not a heavy skew to one party or the other to blame, relatively even balance between those at this stage, would be hard to say that one party is dramatically suffering greater than the other party,” Franklin said. “That, of course, could change as the travel season ramps up and other potential disruptions occur.”

The poll also found 58% of Wisconsin voters support extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act at the heart of the shutdown debate.

“But there is a party split on that with more Republicans saying let the tax credits expire, more Democrats saying extending them,” Franklin said.