11 05 25 FOX News reporter Ryan Schmelz on the record setting government shutdown

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now on Colorado's Morning News. At thirty six days, it's
now the longest government shutdown in US history.

Speaker 2 (00:07):
Yeah, Democrats holding firm on demands to save healthcare subsidies
that keep insurance premiums down for millions. Republicans have tried
to pass a stopgap measure over a dozen times. Joining
us on the ka Common Spirit Health Hotline is Fox
News Radios, Ryan Schmells, Ryan, appreciate your time. As always,
I feel like the government shutdown has been buried in
election coverage, in what we've had today, and then we go, oh, yeah,

(00:28):
we're now at the longest one we've seen so far.
It sounds like some senators are hopeful that the shutdown
could end this week. Why is that? Is that possible
or do you see it a different way?

Speaker 3 (00:40):
Well, there are there is, I think a sense of
positivity that we haven't seen in some time, where you
have a group of Republicans and Democrats who having conversations
right now on some type of deal on the Affordable
Care Act tax credits in exchange for reopening to government.
So this is probably the most progress we have seen
in some time, and that's why you're people, I think
a little bit more more optimistic that this thing can

(01:01):
come to an end by the end of the week
or maybe early next week.

Speaker 1 (01:04):
Ran, what are some of the biggest problems we've seen
impacting day to day life as a result of this shutdown.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Well, I would start with the fact that TSA transit airports, Sorry,
we're seeing massive backlogs everywhere. You're seeing ground stops, you're
seeing cancelations. I mean, that's been a huge impact that
that has a dominant effect nationwide. I would also say
that snap benefits and the fact that people are not

(01:34):
wondering how those are going to be taken care of
is another big one too. And then you factor and
also just the simple fact that federal workers are not
getting paid either, and troops are not getting paid either.
And there's military bases across the country, So go down
to Colorado Springs, those are the military base there. You know,
they could potentially miss their next paycheck. This stuff is.

Speaker 2 (01:53):
Adding up, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says that we
could soon see more airspace closures to the lack of
air traffic controllers. Ryan, do you see this being as
maybe the turning point of Okay, we're going to have
so many impacts that they will come to the table.
Are we still seeing a stalemate when it just comes
to the everyday issues affecting Americans?

Speaker 3 (02:13):
I think you're already starting to see that fatigue start
to set in. That's what pretty much LEDs the last
government shutdown ending, and it looks like it's the case
this time. I mean, you people are having conversations because
they're going home and they're finding out how bad this
thing has gotten, and there's a sense of fatigue as well.
So it does seem like, yes, the pressure has started

(02:33):
to build up, and it's gotten to the point where
people to say, you know, we got to get this
thing reopened to suit. This just can't go on any longer.

Speaker 1 (02:40):
And for the stale mad to end both sides, obviously
you're going to have to lose something. We know what
issues the parties say they won't bend on healthcare subsidies
for instance, for the dams. Republicans want money committed to
reopen the government.

Speaker 2 (02:52):
Now.

Speaker 1 (02:53):
Is it clear where Republicans might be willing to compromise
and where Democrats might be willing to compromise.

Speaker 3 (03:00):
Well, I think for Republicans they feel like the deal
is they've given Democrats is a good deal, which is
an extension of government funding from Biden era Spenning levels.
Keep that in mind, and they feel like there was
a lot of Republicans who ate and swallowed a pill
that they didn't want to like.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
A lot of.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
Republicans have never voted fors c are before, and they
voted for this one because they wanted to support President
Trump and they wanted to reopen the government. Democrats wanted
to add healthcare benefits to this and wanted to add
healthcare provisions. It was a rare move that we haven't
seen before, but they've made it very clear that that's
been their sticking point. So that's why I think this

(03:37):
is very hard for Republicans is because you know, they
feel like they've given Democrats a very good deal from
the start, but Democrats have just been unwilling to budge
up until this point.

Speaker 2 (03:47):
Fox News Radios, Ryan Schmells, appreciate your time as always,