{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Paul Truesdell Podcast","title":"Liar Liar Pants On Hakeem Fire","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":854,"description":"We keep hearing the claim that Donald Trump and Republicans “shut down the government because they do not want to provide health care to working-class Americans.” That sounds dramatic, but it is completely false. Here is what actually happened. The House passed a clean continuing resolution—a temporary bill that keeps government funded at current levels. No new programs, no hidden tricks—just enough to keep the lights on and the paychecks flowing. Donald Trump made it clear he was ready to sign it. The problem came when Senate Democrats decided to block the measure using the filibuster. A filibuster allows senators to stall or stop legislation unless sixty votes are secured to move it forward. In plain English, that means Democrats—not Republicans—are preventing the bill from being voted on, creating the very shutdown they are blaming others for.A clean resolution simply maintains current funding while negotiations continue. It is the responsible way to avoid disruption. Democrats, however, are refusing that stability because they want to force policy concessions. They are trying to stuff new health-care spending demands into what should be a routine vote. Congress controls the purse, and this is the leverage game they play: hold the country hostage until their add-ons are accepted. It is like jamming a piece of metal into a machine, stopping it cold, and then blaming the gears for breaking. So when Hakeem Jeffries repeats the talking point that Donald Trump “shut down the government,” he is repeating an intentional misdirection. The obstruction is deliberate, strategic, and political—not fiscal responsibility gone wrong.Now to the second claim—that Republicans want to deny health care to working-class Americans. That too is false. The proposed Medicaid adjustments focus on able-bodied adults ages 19 to 64 with no disabilities or dependents. The intent is simple: encourage people who can work to contribute. Roughly ninety percent of current recipients remain...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/115-XsjkdwCpJ99xv-8oZ76t6jr8ScWEC5MYSKzL0ig/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS82MTUx/OWRiNTc0NTk0Y2Nk/M2VjYTliMGVhN2Zm/YTZkZi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}