Greene Criticizes GOP Colleagues Amid Ongoing Government Shutdown
On Friday, Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican Representative from Georgia, expressed her frustrations with her party during an appearance on “Real Time,” suggesting that Americans are “being used like piñatas” amid the prolonged government shutdown.
Greene urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to convene the House for a session to tackle pressing issues. She remarked to host Bill Maher, “I wish that [House Speaker] Mike Johnson will bring us back into the session and make the calls so we can actually do the work.”
Discussions over extending the Obamacare tax credit, which is set to expire soon, remain unresolved. This week, Senate Democrats blocked a Republican continuing resolution for the thirteenth time.
As the shutdown drags on, some Republican lawmakers are starting to assign blame to their team. Greene lamented, “Democrats passed Obamacare, but Republicans haven’t passed anything to fix the problems that exist in Obamacare. That’s absolutely wrong.”
She highlighted concerns about the upcoming increase in costs for Obamacare participants, predicting significant spikes in January 2025. “I don’t think it’s going to be easy to fix that,” Greene continued, voicing her frustration at having received no policy ideas from Johnson. “I’m angry about that.”
Greene pointed out that since the full implementation of Obamacare in 2014, it has “crushed” the middle class, although she acknowledged it offers benefits to some who struggle with healthcare costs.
When Maher questioned whether Obamacare harmed people, Greene reiterated her stance. She shared her personal experience, mentioning the rising costs of family health insurance, which moved from $800 to over $2,400 monthly.
Maher countered the notion that there are better alternatives to Obamacare, suggesting that Republicans seem intent on dismantling it. He mockingly addressed Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s optimistic statements and emphasized the complexities involved in revamping the health insurance framework.
Later, the discussion shifted to the 42 million Americans facing potential loss of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Greene insisted that bipartisan cooperation is needed to resolve the issue.
Despite expressing some disagreements with Donald Trump on certain matters, Greene asserted she maintains a strong relationship with the former president.
She emphasized her concerns about Congressional failures, stating that Americans deserve focused attention from their government. Greene pointed out the options available for Senate Republicans, claiming they could override the filibuster and fund the government if they choose to act. “The American people are being used like piñatas in this situation,” she concluded.
