By Ed Flaherty, Iowa City
Dear Senators Grassley and Durbin: You both agree that the shutdown is harmful and unnecessary. You have worked with each other before. I suggest you two respected leaders in your respective parties meet. The question of who is responsible for the shutdown would be discussed. After each of you state that the other’s party is 100 percent responsible, have a second cup of coffee. If you are both truly interested in ending the shutdown, you will soon each admit that “your” side is responsible for maybe 20 percent, the other 80 percent. You will have opened a crack in the door.
After repeating the exaggerated claims by Republicans that the Dems are wanting to have taxpayers fund the health insurance for undocumented folks etc., and the claims of Democratic leadership that it is just Republican greed that makes them oppose the extension of the ACA subsidies, you can open the door a bit more. You know that thousands of Iowans will face monumental health insurance costs if the subsidies are not extended, and that the Republican party will be blamed. Sen. Durbin knows that the MAGA base will blame the Democratic party for the shutdown’s continuation.
You are both experienced legislators. Is there not an amendment to the Continuing Resolution that both sides could agree to, with both sides losing something and yet both sides claiming victory?? Please give it a try. Are you not both coffee drinkers?
