Higher Learning with Van Lathan and Rachel Lindsay The End of the Shutdown With Representative Summer Lee. Plus, Reactions to the ‘Michael’ Trailer
Nov 11, 2025
Rep. Summer Lee, a progressive lawmaker from Pennsylvania, joins the conversation to dive deep into the complexities of the government shutdown and its aftermath. She discusses the critical impact of expiring healthcare subsidies on low-income Americans and advocates for systemic reforms to limit super PAC influence. The discussion also touches on the importance of diverse political messengers, the accountability of leadership, and the need to engage voters effectively. Plus, there's some lighthearted banter about the controversy surrounding James Talarico's social media habits and reactions to the new Michael Jackson biopic trailer.
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Shutdown Revealed Healthcare As A Moral Lever
- The shutdown spotlighted how partisan tactics use basic needs as leverage and exposed who will weaponize hunger and healthcare.
- Van Lathan argues this fight framed a moral choice about whether poor people deserve healthcare or are intentionally immiserated.
Host Endorsed The Shutdown's Purpose
- Rachel Lindsay admits she supported the shutdown despite personal cost because it highlighted Republican harm to Americans.
- She says the shutdown was necessary to show Trump's willingness to hurt people for political gain.
How The Subsidy Cliff Works Numerically
- ACA subsidies protect people up to 400% of the poverty line and losing them creates a subsidy cliff that will drop people from coverage.
- Van breaks down the arithmetic and policy mechanics behind premium recalculation and insurer behavior.