Democrats caved. This is all they can do?

Eight broke ranks despite absence of a deal on health insurance for low- and middle-income people

- ANITA CHABRIA COLUMNIST

J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE Associated Press SENATE Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is under fire after Democrats gave in to Republicans.

Democrats just crumbled like soft-bake cookies.

The so-called resistance party has given up the shutdown fight, ensuring that millions of Americans will face Republican-created skyrocketing healthcare costs, and millions more will bury any hope that the minority party will find the substance and leadership to run a viable defense against President Trump.

Sunday night, eight turncoat Democrats sold out every American who pays for their own health insurance through the affordable marketplaces set up by President Obama.

As has been thoroughly reported in past weeks, Republicans are dead set on making sure that insurance is entirely out of financial reach for many Americans by refusing to help them pay for the premiums with subsidies that are part of current law, offered to both low- and middle-income families.

Republicans - for reasons hard to fathom other than they hate Obama, and apparently basics such as flu shots - have long desired to kill the Affordable Care Act and now are on the brink of doing so, in spirit if not actuality, thanks to Democrats.

Trump must be doing his old-man jig in the Oval Office.

The pain this craven cave-in will cause is already evident. Rates for 2026 without the government subsidies have been announced, and premiums have doubled on average, according to nonpartisan health policy researcher KFF. Doubled.

ANNA ROSE LAYDEN Getty Images SENS. Angus King (I-Maine), left, and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) voted to end the government shutdown.