We discuss the week's political news, including the latest developments in congressional redistricting, President Trump's economic messages, and the expiration of Obamacare subsidies.
ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
Health insurance premiums are likely to rise for millions of Americans early next year after the Senate rejected controversial health care bills this week. And President Trump faces opposition from within his party over redistricting and attacks on what the administration calls drug courts. NPR National Political Correspondent Don Gonyea joins us to walk through it all. Thanks for being here, Don.
DON GONIA, AUTHOR: It's very nice.
SCHMITZ: So, Don, polls show that in health care these increased subsidies are widely popular. Why is it so difficult to negotiate a fix?
GONYA: Well, the Affordable Care Act has always been a place where Democrats and Republicans have pitted themselves against each other. This has been the case since the law was passed during Obama's first term. But the current fight over whether to expand existing subsidies gets to the heart of those differences and will have a big impact on how much health insurance will cost Americans who rely on the ACA. So Republicans would prefer to have health savings accounts or give money directly to people so they can use it for the health care they choose. And we're just at a dead end. Last night, House Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled the Republicans' last-minute plan. This will improve employer-sponsored health plans. Democrats are skeptical. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called it completely frivolous. But I guarantee you that Democrats will keep this issue front and center in the midterm elections.
SCHMITZ: President Trump weighed in on his own economic performance in an interview with Politico this week.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: A++++.
SCHMITZ: That's a good assessment. And then at the rally…
GONIA: Correct.
SCHMITZ: …In Pennsylvania, he said, Americans can, quote, “give up some foods.” We can get by with fewer pencils and dolls. These are two consumer products that I would never have thought to combine. Don, is this message working?
GONYEA: Poll after poll shows Americans are concerned about inflation and affordability. As a result, Trump's approval rating on the economy gives him very low marks in this area. People are unhappy with the cost of going to the grocery store, the ability to pay for kindergarten, and so on. And they see inflation as a big problem. But the president, we've heard, is taking a hard line, denying that affordability is anything other than the hoax that Democrats are pushing as a political issue. So he describes one economy. Americans describe a completely different place.
SCHMITZ: The House passed a $900 billion defense policy bill this week. Hidden within the bipartisan legislation is a provision that would require the Pentagon to share with lawmakers unedited video footage of strikes on suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific. Do you think Congress is starting to show some willingness to push back against this administration?
GONIA: This applies to certain issues, including this one. Many questions have been raised about these strikes on suspected drug vessels off the coast of Venezuela, particularly in September when a second strike killed two survivors of the first attack. Only a small number of Republicans remain resistant and demand more answers. But still there are some. And I should emphasize here that these video access requirements were actually just part of this major defense funding bill, and that bill passed by a landslide.
SCHMITZ: Let's move on to redistricting. Indiana Republicans voted against a gerrymandered map that Trump approved despite threats from the president. Does this say something about Trump's influence on the party or is it more specific to this state?
GONYEA: We've seen some resistance from the GOP on redistricting in other places, but this is a deep red state. Republicans hold seven of the state's nine congressional seats. The president wanted them to redraw district lines to ensure a potential clean win for all nine in next year's elections. But legislators looked at the map and said, “Look, we only did this four years ago, so it's a setback for the president.”
SCHMITZ: NPR's Don Gonyea. Don, thank you.
GONIA: Okay. My pleasure.
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