Sen. Majority Leader John Thune has heard the demands from the likes of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) in order to reopen the government and has some good news for them.
As RedState reported, AOC and Sanders were the focus of a socialist CNN Town Hall on Wednesday. Almost without fail, every time the host asked them what it would take to end the Schumer Shutdown, the New York rep would screech Republicans need to just pick up the phone and sit down to negotiate with Democrats.
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Here's a bit of that if you missed it:
Sanders said they were going to do "everything" to end it, without saying what that was.
"I'm ready to negotiate. Bernie's ready to negotiate," AOC added. "We are all open and ready to do that."
"They need to pick up a phone, Katilan. They need to pick up a phone," Ocasio-Cortez continued.
Well, Thune's got great news for AOC and Bernie because he said he's more than willing to sit down with Democrats to negotiate. But there's a catch.
I’m not sure how much clearer I can be, but let me give it a try:
— Leader John Thune (@LeaderJohnThune) October 17, 2025
I am willing to sit down with Democrats to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare.
It’s a system they created, but I’m happy to hear them out. Heck, I’m even willing to give them…
"I'm not sure how much clearer I can be, but let me give it a try: I am willing to sit down with Democrats to discuss the growing unaffordability and unsustainability of Obamacare," Thune said.
"It's a system they created, but I'm happy to hear them out. Heck, I'm even willing to give them a vote," he added. "Today. Tomorrow. Next week. You name it. But there's one condition: End the Schumer Shutdown."
"I will not negotiate under hostage conditions, nor will I pay a ransom," Thune continued. "Period."
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As RedState readers are all too aware, Democrats are holding the government hostage because Republicans refuse to provide healthcare for illegal aliens.
A White House press release has pointed out the facts of this shutdown that Democrats like AOC and Sanders don't want to talk about.
Democrats are demanding that these reforms be repealed as a condition of keeping the government open for four weeks. This would result in the federal government spending nearly $200 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants and non-citizens over the next decade—nearly enough to fund the entire Children's Health Insurance Program over the same period—all while repealing reforms that strengthen care for the most vulnerable Americans.
On Friday, the Democrats voted to keep the government shut down for the 11th time.
And as Speaker of the House, Mike Johson (R-LA) pointed out, worse than this vote to keep it closed, was when the Democratic Party voted against at least making sure the troops got paid.
Democrats have now voted 11 TIMES to keep the government closed — blocking pay for troops, Border Patrol, TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and the rest of our federal workforce.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) October 17, 2025
Yesterday, they went EVEN FURTHER — voting against a bipartisan standalone bill to fund our… pic.twitter.com/h6PzLEn8A0
Democrats have now voted 11 TIMES to keep the government closed — blocking pay for troops, Border Patrol, TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and the rest of our federal workforce.
Yesterday, they went EVEN FURTHER — voting against a bipartisan standalone bill to fund our national defense and pay our troops.
There you go, AOC, Bernie, and Democrats! Thune would love to chat. Just end the shutdown.
Editor’s Note: The Schumer Shutdown is here. Rather than put the American people first, Chuck Schumer and the radical Democrats forced a government shutdown for healthcare for illegals. They own this.
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