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Baby, we're shut down, down, down, down, down

You may think that the government is supposed to work for you, but with Republicans in control of the House, Senate, and presidency, it’s been working more like a daycare for their precious, darling babies — the billionaires and pharmaceutical CEOs.

Americans are already paying *Bernie Sanders voice* YUGE premiums for their health care. But starting this month, insurance premiums are going to skyrocket even more for millions of people. As a result, Democrats are refusing ([link removed]) to vote for a spending package that doesn’t include an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits that help people afford their treatments. And per usual, Republicans are refusing to come to the table and negotiate.

Our new polling ([link removed]) with Groundwork Collaborative, fielded September 29-30, finds that voters are more likely to blame Trump and Republicans in Congress for the shutdown than Democrats in Congress.
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And we find that voters are very concerned about rising health insurance premiums, including 82% of Democrats, 74% of Independents, and 69% of Republicans.
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More than half of voters (55%) also agree that “Democrats in Congress should only vote for a government funding bill that reverses Republican health care cuts, even if it risks a government shutdown,” with just 35% disagreeing.

The only thing Americans should be worried about this weekend is debating where The Life of a Showgirl falls in the ranking of Taylor Swift albums. But instead, people are worried about affording their health care or accessing the essential services Republicans are keeping closed.

Read the full crosstabs here ([link removed]) .

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Let them H-1B

Irony — it’s like rain on your wedding day, a free ride when you've already paid, or restricting access to the immigration visa that your own wife used ([link removed]) to work in the U.S.

H-1B visas allow employers to hire highly skilled foreign workers in “specialty occupations.” And no, we’re not talking about Shohei Ohtani or Luka Dončić. These workers are required to have a Bachelor’s degree, and most are currently employed in the technology industry. The visa also applies to doctors, engineers, academics, and more.

Despite much of his anti-immigration rhetoric focusing on “dangerous criminals,” Trump has recently implemented a new barrier for highly skilled immigrants with college degrees to work in the U.S. As of September 21, employers are required to pay a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visa petitions.

Our polling ([link removed]) finds that these new restrictions are out of line with public opinion on highly skilled immigration. When asked whether highly skilled immigration helps or hurts the U.S., a majority of voters (65%) agree that it is “good for the U.S. because it allows the U.S. to benefit from the talent of the best and brightest across the world.”
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And when asked whether they support the fee on new H-1B visas, voters oppose the fee by a -9-point margin.

It might be time to get over the time that tech bro stood you up on a Hinge date and stand in defense of the tens of thousands of workers whose futures in the U.S. are now uncertain. If Trump really wants an immigration policy that focuses on removing dangerous criminals, he should look at the people with whom he surrounds himself (or in the mirror).

Read the full poll here ([link removed]) .

It’s my house ([link removed]) , and I pay too much to live here

Sabrina Carpenter may be eager to show off her first, second, third floor on her House Tour, but for most people, it would look like — let me show you this one small room that I pay more than $2,500 for, on top of ever-increasing utilities. The rent is too damn high!

In a new poll ([link removed]) , we find that 64% of Americans report experiencing at least one indicator of housing precarity in the last year, with more than 2 in 5 adults (41%) experiencing three or more.

Americans' most commonly reported housing challenges are having to significantly cut back on essentials and having to reduce other portions of their budget to account for housing costs.
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A majority of adults (61%) prefer developing affordable housing to ensure essential needs are met. Meanwhile, only 28% say the government should not increase spending on affordable housing because of budget strain and national debt concerns.

We also find that Americans widely support affordable green housing policies, such as energy efficiency and electrification upgrades (74%). Because your budget shouldn’t have to be in the red to support a green planet.

Read the full poll here ([link removed]) .

DFP In The News

amNewYork: NYC Mayor’s Race: Netanyahu’s UN appearance sparks condemnation from Mamdani, praise from Adams ([link removed])

Al Jazeera: As tariffs hit, Americans grapple with rising bills and multiple jobs ([link removed])

Financial Times: ‘We’re not going to be bullied’: Democrats wage risky shutdown battle ([link removed])

New York Times: Zohran Mamdani’s Plan for Government-Run Grocery Stores: Will It Help? ([link removed])

On Social
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