Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) sent shockwaves through Capitol Hill when she rebuked her own party for not taking action to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies that would stabilize insurance premiums for millions of people — the very issue Democrats demanded Republicans negotiate on to provide votes to reopen the federal government.
Greene stopped short of actually endorsing the shutdown over the issue, but nevertheless, Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) told MSNBC's Chris Hayes on Tuesday evening, her stated reason for the heel turn doesn't seem like the most well-thought-out or statesmanly of reasons.
"Congresswoman, we've seen a bunch of indicators over the last 24 hours, from Trump saying it publicly, to Marjorie Taylor Greene's post, to a piece in the Wall Street Journal, and even something in Politico now, that there are rumblings within the Republican Party that want to try to come to some deal on the subsidies," said Hayes. "Are you hearing anything like that yourself?"
"Not necessarily," said Crockett. "And I just talked to one of my Republican colleagues about 30 minutes ago, because I was trying to find out if we were actually going to go back into session next week, as my staff is trying to plan what's going on. But I can tell you, we actually discussed that Marjorie was flipping on this because it seems like everything that is important, this child ain't read the bill and has no idea of what's going on. I don't understand why Georgia keeps sending her to D.C. But this is not the first time that she wasn't quite clear on what damage it was that her party was ushering in."
Regarding her actual stance, she continued, "I will take her seeing the light at any point in time. And so, yeah, it's sad that she can only see the lightwhen it directly impacts her,because she is elected torepresent almost a millionpeople. And so not listening toyour constituents as they'recalling and they're talkingabout their struggles, but thenmaking it about your children,your adult children, becausetheir premiums are going to goup."
"Listen, I'll take a yesvote or somebody coming to thetable whatever way I can get it," Crockett added. "But I just don't believe thatthat's how government issupposed to work. I don't haveany children. When I amgoverning, I am governing forthe people that elected me, andI don't think that I should belooking at it and thinking,well, because this personallyis going to impact me, thenmaybe I should flip how I feelabout it."