| Last week, Californians took to the streets to hold Republicans Young Kim, Ken Calvert, and David Valadao accountable for causing a health care crisis and shutting down the government.
While Kim, Calvert, and Valadao can’t even be bothered to come to work, their constituents are facing cuts to Medicaid and SNAP, and a more than 75% increase on average in health insurance premiums.
As a result of California Republicans’ inaction, Californians will be priced out of their Covered California benefits:
Californians are refusing to remain silent. Protesters across the state rallied together to show Kim, Calvert, and Valadao that Californians want leaders that fight for their constituents, rather than rubber-stamping a cruel agenda of tearing away health care.
DCCC Spokesperson Anna Elsasser:
“California Republicans are selling out their constituents. Rather than protecting Californians’ access to vital health care, Young Kim, Ken Calvert, and David Valadao would rather force the nation into a shutdown. Californians are taking note and will make sure Republicans hear their voices next November.”
See more about the protests:
ABC 7 Palm Springs: Palm Desert residents protest shutdown outside Republican congressman’s office
- The U.S. government is shut down, but democracy is still in operation.
- Some democrats and community members in Palm Desert rallied outside Republican U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert’s office, blaming him for causing the U.S. government shutdown.
- “Republicans own that shutdown,” Democrats of the Desert President Marcie Maxwell said. “They own the White House. They own the Senate. They own the House. Calvert owns this shutdown.”
- Democrats want Republicans to reverse Medicaid cuts they pushed through in the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill.”
- Protestors with signs lined Fred Waring Drive outside Calvert’s office. They’re calling on the Republican from the 41st District to break ranks and side with Democrats on protecting health care subsidies.
KESQ: Government shutdown sparks political tensions across the Coachella Valley
- Concerned residents gathered outside Congressman Ken Calvert’s Palm Desert office, waving signs and calling for accountability.
- Several demonstrators pointed to what they view as an unwillingness by Republican lawmakers to negotiate in good faith. Some criticized what they described as partisan obstructionism, while others blamed the influence of President Donald Trump on the GOP.
- Organizers of the rally accused Republican lawmakers — who control all branches of government — of failing to follow through on promises to work across the aisle.
NBC Palm Springs: Residents Rally in Palm Desert as Government Shutdown Impacts Services
- Dozens of local residents gathered outside of Congressman Ken Calvert’s office in Palm Desert, holding signs, waving flags and calling on lawmakers to end the deadlock.
- “As a result of [Calvert’s and Republicans’] inaction, there’s a lot of people that are going to be going out without health care in the Coachella Valley. […] Come to the table. Do good faith meeting and negotiating with Democrats. Take care of your constituents. Your constituents want their health care back.”
Palm Springs Desert Sun: What Ken Calvert, Raul Ruiz have to say as government shutdown begins
- The start of the shutdown also brought about 40 people Wednesday morning to rally outside Calvert’s district office in Palm Desert for what was billed as a “Calvert and Republicans own government shutdown rally.”
- “I think the best thing that could happen is that the Republicans could listen to their Democrat colleagues and find some ways to compromise and not to harm people with huge increases in healthcare coming that they’ve already approved, of course, in their Big Ugly Bill that’s very harmful to people in our community and around our nation,” [president of Democrats of the Desert Marcie] Maxwell said.
- Christine Massey, another member of Democrats of the Desert, held a sign that read “Calvert owns the closure.” She said the group holds Calvert in particular responsible for the shutdown because he regularly votes against the interests of his constituents on healthcare and other issues.
ABC 7 Los Angeles: Rally outside Congresswoman Young Kim’s office
- Community members just held a rally outside of Republican Congresswoman Young Kim’s office in Mission Viejo.
- They say she’s accountable for causing the health care crisis that led to the government shutdown.
ABC 23 Bakersfield: Bakersfield residents protest as Federal government shutdown passes third day
- About two dozen protesters gathered outside Congressman David Valadao’s Bakersfield office as the government shutdown entered its third day… the demonstration…focused on concerns about potential cuts to federal programs including SNAP, Medicaid and Medicare benefits.
- “We want the Republicans to finally come to the table with the Democrats and compromise…” said Gilbert Garcia, a member of CARA. “So basically, the restoration of Medicare, Medicaid….SNAP benefits, those things…that they pulled out.”
Bakersfield Californian: Local demonstrators pin shutdown on GOP
- Demonstrators gathered outside U.S. Rep. David Valadao’s office in Bakersfield Friday pinning blame for the current government shutdown squarely with the Republican Party.
- “The GOP owns this. They run the House. They run the Senate. They run the White House. They own it all,” said Sam Hartman, a U.S. Army veteran and Tehachapi resident.
- Demonstrators said Valadao and other Republicans’ votes were stripping health care from millions of Americans.
- “We know that Valadao is part of the party that controls Congress, controls the Senate, controls the presidency,” [Rob England, executive director of California Alliance for Retired Americans] said. “They have the power to restart the government. They’re choosing not to. It’s their fault.”
ABC 10 Sacramento: What the government shutdown means for your benefits and services
- Congressman Kevin Kiley responded to protesters outside his Placer County Office.
- They say they’re urging accountability for the government shutdown.
- “We have an entirely Republican controlled government: the president, both houses of Congress. They will not work with the American people.”
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