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On "The Breakfast Club" Wednesday, co-host Charlamagne Tha God urged Democrats to "stop playing politics with people’s lives" and reopen the federal government following several Democratic victories in Tuesday’s state and local elections.
"I feel for all those federal workers who have missed two paychecks already, especially when most of them are living paycheck to paycheck," Charlamagne said. "People are not getting their SNAP benefits. It’s time to reopen the government. I don’t care whose fault it was. Let’s stop playing politics with people’s lives."
Aside from federal workers going without pay and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits being delayed, the radio host also touched on another issue that was exacerbated by the ongoing government shutdown — rising healthcare costs.
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Charlamagne Tha God onstage during the 2023 HOPE Global Forum at Hyatt Regency Atlanta on December 11, 2023, in Atlanta, Georgia. (Derek White/Getty Images)
"It’s time to open the government back up, y’all. Dems, you had a great night last night. The premiums have already gone up," he said. "They are set for the year. It’s time to move on. We appreciate the fight, the valiant effort, but come on, man. People got rent due. People got childcare to pay for, light bills, car notes."
Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla., said on Fox Business' "The Evening Edit" Tuesday that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., privately encouraged Democratic senators to delay reopening the government until after Election Day.
"Chuck Schumer, in a private meeting with other Democrat senators, said that if you’ll just wait till after the election, I’ll release the handcuffs," Mullin claimed. "I added the handcuffs part, but basically I’m paraphrasing what he said."
"The reason why is because they’re afraid their base wouldn’t show up today in Virginia, New Jersey and in New York. So it’s been about politics," the senator continued. "It’s never been about policy. It’s been about holding the American people as leverage points regardless of the damage they cause to the livelihood of these individuals. But elections are more important than the Dems because they know their polls are at the very bottom than it’s ever been for the Democrat Party."
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U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., speaks during a press conference following the weekly Senate Democratic caucus luncheons on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 20, 2024. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/Reuters)
Similar to his comments on Wednesday, Charlamagne urged Democrats on Monday to end the government shutdown, arguing that the party seems to be fighting in a stalemate over issues that have already been lost.
"The healthcare is going to go up anyway because of the ‘big beautiful bill,’ because that didn't include the extension of the tax credits to keep the cost down. So, if it's going up anyway, what's the point of Democrats taking the stand to keep the government still closed?" he said.
Frequent contributor Mimi Brown agreed, noting that people have already been getting letters in the mail about changing healthcare premiums.
"And the premiums are set for a year," Charlamagne continued. "So at this point, if the premiums have already gone up, if they’re set for a year, at least give the people some relief, and get the government back open."
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Charlamagne previously urged Democrats to reopen the government and provide the American people with relief. (Breakfast Club Power 105.1 FM)
Charlamagne went on to appeal to Democrats directly, demanding they end the shutdown to bring back programs like SNAP.
"Democrats, you fought. It seems like you lost the fight. At this point, you know, go on and give it up," he said. "At least give the people some relief by getting the government back open. Let these people get these SNAP benefits. Let these government workers get their checks. We don't need all this craziness at the TSA during the holidays. Like, I think you lost ... I feel like they lost, it’s over.'"
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Fox News' Alexander Hall contributed to this report.
