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In comparative terms it's minor: 35 million enrolled in CHIP [0] (shutdown) vs. 3.5 million DACA. Hopefully all would agree that neither is minor from a moral standpoint.

[0] https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/program-information/medica...

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CHIP funding ran out some time ago. The party in power was free to renew it at any time since then. They chose not to.

... Until they did? Your comment is true of all bills and all proposals. "Party X was free to vote on it, they chose not to. Until they chose to." Furthermore, the minority had promised to veto all funding unless DACA was included, at all times. Regardless, the above comment was simply pointing out the difference in terms of magnitude.

Maybe the simple reading of the statement is true of everything, but what’s unique here is that it was deliberately held up so it could be used as a bludgeon during the shutdown negotiations.

Especially egregious was the fact that it had broad bipartisan support, and had been scored by the CBO to save money. The health and welfare of children was used as a political bludgeon.

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