Idahoans expect government to work. We pay our taxes, serve in the military, fight wildfires, and care for our families. In return, we expect our leaders to keep the lights on and do their jobs. Instead, Donald Trump and Congressional Republicans are threatening to shut down the government to force through higher premiums for 22 million Americans.
This year, they pushed through the largest health care cuts in American history, stripping coverage from 37,000 Idahoans to serve billionaire donors at the expense of the people who sent them to Washington.
In towns like Salmon, McCall, and Bonners Ferry, hospitals are already on the edge. Republican cuts to Medicaid threaten to close at least four rural Idaho hospitals, forcing families to drive hours for basic care. Imagine a child in Orofino with a severe asthma attack or a rancher in Jerome with a heart attack and no nearby emergency room.
Republicans are driving up health care costs even further. By refusing to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits in their budget bill, health care costs for more than 100,000 Idahoans are set to skyrocket by an average of 75% in January. For a middle-income family in Boise, that means hundreds of dollars more every month to stay insured.
Democratic leaders have a plan to stop this: prevent coverage costs from exploding, reverse the Medicaid cuts, and keep rural hospitals open. It’s a reasonable proposal supported by voters across party lines.
Donald Trump ordered, “Don’t even bother dealing with Democrats.” Every Idaho Republican in Congress fell in line, pushing us toward skyrocketing health care costs and a shutdown that would throw our economy into chaos.
A shutdown means thousands of Idahoans won’t get paid, from Forest Service firefighters to Mountain Home Air Force Base personnel to BLM staff who manage our public lands. Veterans will face delayed services, small businesses won’t get critical loans, and Women, Infants and Children benefits, like formula and food for babies and pregnant moms, will run dry.
Farmers and ranchers face another devastating hit. The GOP shutdown could delay over $29 million in farm payments owed to Idaho producers, critical funding for crop insurance, disaster relief, and support for our dairy farmers. These dollars help keep farms afloat during droughts, market swings, and wildfires. Shutting off that lifeline right as the Republican tariffs are hitting farms would devastate rural communities.
Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House. If the government shuts down, it’s on them. Mike Simpson, Russ Fulcher, Mike Crapo, and Jim Risch will own every missed paycheck, every closed hospital, every baby that goes hungry, and the continued downward spiral of our economy.
Idaho families deserve better than excuses and dysfunction.