"The sticking point remained Democrats' insistence on restoring critical tax credits under the Affordable Care Act-a pending loss of benefits created under the provisions of the GOP's massive tax-and-spending bill. In pushing to extend these benefits, Democrats weren't just looking to protect the pocketbooks of working Americans already contending with spiraling costs; they were trying to make the case that extending the benefits also promoted the interests of Republicans claiming a robust working-class base."
"Later that evening, Trump posted an AI video meant to show Schumer and his House counterpart, Representative Hakeem Jeffries, giving a press conference. In it, Schumer is synced to a fake voice saying that his party has "no voters anymore, because of our woke, trans bullshit" and is now desperately hoping that "if we give all these illegal aliens healthcare, we might be able to get them on our side and vote for us"-until, that is, they learn to speak English and come to realize that Democrats are just "woke pieces of shit." Driving the point home in a racist flourish, the video shows Jeffries sporting a giant sombrero and a false mustache as mariachi music plays in the background."
"(In the euphemistic prose stylings of the Trump-appeasing Washington Post, the stupid and hateful outburst of bigotry becomes this: "a fake video...with Schumer saying things about benefits for immigrants that he hadn't actually said and Jeffries wearing a sombrero he hadn't been wearing.")"
Congressional leaders met with President Donald Trump with a government shutdown deadline approaching. Democrats insisted on restoring Affordable Care Act tax credits that would lapse under the GOP tax-and-spending bill. Democrats argued that extending the credits would protect working Americans facing rising costs and could appeal to a working-class electorate. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said the president seemed to understand the magnitude of the crisis. Later, Trump posted an AI deepfake portraying Schumer and Representative Hakeem Jeffries making obscene remarks and depicting Jeffries with racist caricature elements.
Read at The Nation
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