adminThe nation watched as another federal shutdown unfolded, and on Newsmax’s Carl Higbie FRONTLINE the host didn’t mince words — he blamed Democrats for forcing the doors closed while insisting their top priority was handing out benefits to people in the country illegally. Higbie’s blunt reaction — that Democrats would rather see a shutdown than defend border integrity and fiscal sanity — captures a growing frustration among conservatives who say Washington’s priorities are upside-down.
Behind the political theater is a real policy dispute: Democrats pushed to preserve pandemic-era Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse planned Medicaid cuts, while Republicans framed those demands as a push to expand benefits to noncitizens. The media debate has been messy, and fact-checkers note that broad claims about giving full federal healthcare to undocumented immigrants are misleading because most federal coverage remains restricted by law.
Republican leaders and commentators have been unapologetic about assigning blame, arguing the left would rather score progressive talking points than keep federal workers on the job and secure the border. From the halls of the Senate to prime-time conservative shows, the message has been consistent: Democrats put ideology above Americans’ safety and wallets, and that arrogance should have consequences.
On his show, Higbie and guests cheered a shutdown as a wake-up call — a controversial stance that nevertheless reflects a larger truth: too many in the Democratic coalition are enamored with policy giveaways that reward lawbreaking and reward special interests. Conservatives see this as an opening to demand a reset on immigration enforcement, spending restraint, and accountability for federal programs that were never meant to be open-ended entitlements.
Democrats will try to sell their position as compassion and continuity, but voters should remember the costs — from furloughed employees to delayed services — that come when political theater trumps governance. Meanwhile, objective numbers show the programs Republicans attack as “health care for illegal aliens” represent a sliver of overall spending, but that doesn’t excuse turning a blind eye to the rule of law or to the economic consequences of uncontrolled migration.
This standoff is a test of who will lead: those who put America first and demand secure borders and balanced budgets, or those who prioritize ideological wins and extravagant spending. Conservatives must keep the pressure on lawmakers to deliver pragmatic solutions, end the culture of amnesty by fiat, and restore common-sense priorities so the federal government serves citizens before special interests.
