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As the government shutdown goes into its second week, Democrats have found an unlikely ally as they hope to extend subsidies for the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplace: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.).
On Monday evening, Greene posted on X how she did not like the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, but had come to a stark reality about it.
“Let’s just say as nicely as possible, I’m not a fan,” she said. “But I’m going to go against everyone on this issue because when the tax credits expire this year my own adult children’s insurance premiums for 2026 are going to DOUBLE, along with all the wonderful families and hard-working people in my district.”
Former president Joe Biden expanded tax credits for people who purchase health insurance on the state by state marketplace enacted by the 2010 law signed by Barack Obama. The subsidies expire at the end of the year.
Democrats have said they will not vote for a “clean” continuing resolution, a stopgap spending bill to avoid a shutdown that keeps spending at current levels with no additional amendments, and instead want to include an extension of the Obamacare subsidies in the resolution.
Greene for her part assailed her party’s leadership.
“Not a single Republican in leadership talked to us about this or has given us a plan to help Americans deal with their health insurance premiums DOUBLING!!!” she wrote on X.
The words pleasantly surprised Democratic lawmakers, including her home state’s upper chamber rep, Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.).
“You are going to hear me utter words I never thought I’d say: Marjorie Taylor Greene is right,” Warnock told The Independent Tuesday.
“I’m seeing what she’s seeing. She’s seeing what I’m seeing. People’s health care premiums on the marketplace are going up astronomically high.”
In response, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) highlighted Greene’s tweet during his press conference on Tuesday.
“Marjorie Taylor Greene acknowledges this fight is about the health care of the American people,” Jeffries said. “It’s Republicans in terms of the leadership that is missing in action.”
Some Democrats expressed surprise — but pleasure — at the fact Greene mentioned it.
“When Marjorie Taylor Greene is saying we need to pass this, you’re idiots if you’re going to go down to a loss because of Donald Trump and Mike Johnson,” Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), who served in the House with Greene, told The Independent.
Greene’s words come as the government shutdown moved past the week-long mark. Democrats have continued to dig in and opposed Republican attempts to pass a clean continuing resolution despite multiple attempts to reopen the government.
But Greene has increasingly challenged her own party leadership despite her steadfast devotion to Trump. Earlier this year, she criticized Trump’s decision to conduct military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities.
When Congress returned from recess in September, she joined a discharge petition from Reps. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) to release files related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. This came despite the fact that House Speaker Mike Johnson has opposed such efforts.
Furthermore, Greene broke with many in her party in criticizing Israel’s war in Gaza, going farther than many Democrats in accusing Israel of committing a “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.
Greene also criticized the fact that the “One Big, Beautiful Bill” signed by Trump initially included a moratorium on states regulating artificial intelligence. Though that provision would later be stripped.
Despite her fundraising prowess and status as a Trump loyalist, Greene’s career has stalled. She passed on running for governor of Georgia and running to challenge her state’s other Democratic Sen. Jon Osoff, who is up for re-election next year.
Last year, she filed a motion to vacate Johnson as speaker, which ultimately failed after Democrats and Republicans blocked the effort.
On Tuesday, Greene doubled down on her criticism.
“Ruroh. MTG broke ranks and told the truth about the seriousness of unaffordable health insurance plaguing Americans,” she said on X. “Launch the same old controlled DC reporters to ask her Republican colleagues questions about her and write articles to frame and isolate her. Go ahead. It always backfires.”
Greene added a laughing emoji to her tweet.
