The Daily Signal The Daily Signal Presents “The “Signal Sitdown - How Trump Changed Republicans' Shutdown Game | Rep. Mike Haridopolos
Oct 18, 2025
Rep. Mike Haridopolos, a Republican congressman from Florida and former Senate president, dives into the intricacies of the ongoing government shutdown. He discusses how modern left-wing influences within the Democratic Party have shifted their approach to negotiations. Haridopolos critiques the Democrats' $1.5 trillion demands, calling them ransom, and advocates for a more substantial debate on healthcare reforms, especially concerning Obamacare. He also highlights the Republican messaging advantage during the shutdown and how Trump’s leadership reshaped their strategy.
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Democrats' New Shutdown Strategy
- Democrats historically supported clean continuing resolutions but now sometimes refuse them, changing shutdown dynamics.
- Mike Haridopolos attributes this to the modern Democratic Party being influenced by its left wing and primary threats.
Force Public Debate On Healthcare Costs
- Put healthcare policy consequences into the open and force a public debate about costs and reforms.
- Haridopolos urges adding consumer incentives, cost transparency, and skin in the game to reduce wasteful use.
Subsidies Flow To Insurers, Not Patients
- Obamacare subsidies often flow to insurers and raise utilization without reducing costs for many consumers.
- Haridopolos calls the subsidies a bailout for big corporations and a driver of unaffordable care.