Speaker Mike Johnson Says Democrats’ Spending Demands & Obamacare Maneuvering Are Hurting Americans, Not Republicans
Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 2:15 P.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Jennifer Hodges, Political Editor: Englebrook Independent News,
WASHINGTON, DC.- As the federal government enters Day 22 of the “Schumer Shutdown,” Republican leaders are asserting that Democrats are losing the public relations war and showing little concern for the hardship inflicted on everyday Americans.
At a 10:00 a.m. press briefing today, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) accused Democratic leadership of weaponizing the shutdown as a political tactic rather than a genuine negotiation effort. He said the House GOP had passed a responsible spending measure that Democrats in the Senate continue to block, putting politics ahead of governance.
Johnson detailed that Democrats are demanding roughly $1.5 trillion in new spending, including expanded medical benefits for non-citizens, while also trying to claw back $50 billion in rural healthcare funding Republicans had already secured in what he called the “Big Beautiful Bill.” He further criticized Democrats for pushing foreign pet-project spending while Americans struggle to make ends meet during the shutdown.
Republicans Are Willing To Sit Down Once The Government Reopens
The Speaker said that while Republicans remain open to negotiations, including discussions about extending Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) subsidies, those talks will only begin once the government reopens. Johnson declared, “We will not be extorted into more reckless spending by those who refuse to put the American taxpayer first.”
Meanwhile, Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries have continued urging President Trump to “sit down and negotiate.” But Trump has made clear that he will only enter talks after the government reopens, reaffirming his pledge to revisit the broken Affordable Care Act, a law Republicans never supported and Democrats have failed to manage effectively.
Within the Democratic ranks, frustration is beginning to show. Senator John Fetterman (D-Pa.) publicly urged Schumer to end the shutdown immediately, signaling growing unease in the party over the strategy that has dragged the government into its third week of paralysis.
With Democrats holding firm to their high-spending demands and attempting to deflect blame, many political observers say the party has boxed itself into a corner. By allowing Obamacare tax subsidies to expire, Democrats may be seeking to blame Republicans for a failure of their own making. This risky move could backfire as Americans increasingly point to Democratic inaction as the root of the ongoing stalemate.
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on verified reports, public statements, and official briefings from House Speaker Mike Johnson, President Donald Trump, and members of the U.S. Senate as of October 22, 2025. Factual information was drawn from reputable political and news outlets, including Fox News, the Washington Examiner, and the National Review. All unattributed quotes and summaries reflect these publicly available sources and direct remarks from the speakers named.
