“The next federal-funding deadline is just weeks away. Democrats say restoring billions of dollars in health-insurance subsidies for Americans is the minimum price of their vote, holding the threat of a shutdown over Republicans’ heads,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“Democrats are more confident in their negotiating stance compared with March, when a similar attempt to play hardball fizzled. While today’s talks pit them against Republican leaders who want a two-month spending deal with no big additions, they are finding support among rank-and-file GOP lawmakers fearing political backlash if their voters are hit by higher health-insurance bills next year.”