Nearly a month ago, Senate Majority Leader John Thune convinced a group of Senate Democrats to end the nation’s longest government shutdown by promising them a December vote on a measure to extend Obamacare premium subsidies. The roughly 24 million Americans potentially hurt by the December 31 expiration of these subsidies might have hoped the planned vote would lead Republicans to either back an extension or cut a deal to extend the subsidies temporarily while a longer-term health-care reform measure could be worked out.

But no. Instead, on Thursday, Senate Republicans voted down the Democratic measure while offering a hastily drafted and rather slapdash “alternative” they knew no Democrat could support so they could show alleged interest in the topic and perhaps share the blame

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