Copyright The Daily Beast
Sen. John Fetterman caught flak from fellow Democrats for voting to end the shutdown—and now his constituents are getting in on the beatdown, too. Fetterman got a pummeling when he responded Monday on X to a post by the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh congratulating them on news of their labor union demands being met. The guild, which represents the newsroom at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, took this as an opportunity to call out his hypocrisy—expressing that his words don’t match his behavior in Congress. “We struck to win back—among other things — our health care. You just voted to take health care away from thousands of people, many of whom you know will die as a result," the organization wrote. “You have much more in common w/ the Blocks than us.” “Keep our name far, far away from your murderous mouth,” they added. The Pennsylvania Democrat, who won’t seek reelection until 2028, was one of the eight Congress members to deviate from their party and yield to Republican pressure in the government shutdown vote—a move many Democratic lawmakers consider a betrayal. Sunday’s 60–40 vote to restart federal funding—and grant furloughed workers back pay they were already legally entitled to—was the first nail in the coffin for Democrats’ attempt to fend off GOP health-care cuts. Fetterman’s contribution to the partisan mutiny paved the way for Monday’s Senate vote ending the record-long government shutdown, with nothing to show for the Democrats besides a razor thin promise for a vote on health care legislation later this year. On Sunday, the senator posted on X affirming his stance on the vote, calling the party’s push a “failure.” The Democratic demand to extend health insurance subsidies—the reason for resistance over ending the shutdown—will likely be shot down in the House before it even reaches the Senate. After Affordable Care Act credits expire next year, about 22 million Americans will see soaring premiums—doubling monthly payments for the average recipient. Fanning the flames of the Newspaper Guild of Pittsburgh’s rebuke were a range of supporters, commending the organization and condemning Fetterman’s hypocrisy. “That’s goddam [sic] right, thank you for your righteous principles brothers and sisters,” wrote X user @WorkStoppagePod.
