Washington stage its own version of Pedro and the Wolf with a recurring drama starring Democrats and Republicans of the Capitol in search of an agreement to extend the temporal financing of the administration. Normally, they flirt with the disaster that would be a government closure, which ends up avoiding, more or less on the edge. But sometimes that extreme arrives. And all
If both parties do not seal a pact, the public money tap will close at 0:01 on Wednesday, October 1, date of the start of the new fiscal year. This Monday, when there were just over 30 hours left for the fateful moment, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, met at the end of the afternoon (Washington time) with the four politicians with more power in the Capitol to bring positions and avoid the dreaded shutdown. Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, leaders of the Democratic Minorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate, joined those of the Republican majorities and John Thune (high) with the threat on the horizon of a disagree shutdown In definitive layoffs.
To avoid the closure, the Democrats demand this time an extension of the subsidies of the affordable medical care law (also known as Obamacare, a norm that extended medical protection to millions of Americans not covered by private insurance) and the reversal of cuts to Medicaid and other health programs with which Republicans threaten.
After the meeting, Schumer and Jeffries appeared before the White House reporters. Schumer spoke of “great differences in medical care,” while Jeffries defined them as “significant and relevant.”
Then it was the turn of the Republicans, who were accompanied by: “I think we head towards the closure, because the Democrats will not do the right thing. I hope they change their minds, but we will see.” Both Johnson and Thune asked that the Democrats approve the extension of the financing until November 21, to, thus have time to negotiate a budget law by 2026. Both stressed that during the years of Joe Biden in the White House, his party agreed with his rivals up to 13 occasions to avoid a situation like the one that is coming.
The threat of the White House of the tens of thousands of layoffs has left the Democrats in a difficult position. If they do not accept the Republican Plan, Trump will try to blame them for those layoffs, although their administration has already taken from January embarked on a purge of officials with the chainsaw of the Government Efficiency Department (Doge) and that it seems like the perfect excuse to continue with those cuts.
The most veteran
Schumer is the politician who is subjected to the greatest pressure. Republicans, who have a lean majority in the House of Representatives can take out the government’s financing plan without the support of any of their opponents. In the case of the Senate, where they have 53 seats in front of the 47 Democrats,
He is also the most veteran of the lot. In 2018, he refused to finance Trump’s government for his opposition to the immigration policy of his administration. He kept his pulse for more than 30 days, before accepting an agreement to reopen the expense tap. In March of this year, he received harsh criticism from the most progressive party wing when he agreed to vote for the expansion of temporary financing without concessions. He did it arguing that a closure would only aggravate the effects of Trump’s policies. Jeffries has less experience in these lides: this Monday was the first time he met formally with the president of the United States.
As for the Republicans, Vance and Schumer repeated after the meeting at the White House falsehoods launched by Trump last week about what the Democrats seek in exchange for extending the financing of the administration. According to the president, they want “more than one billion dollars” to “continue with free medical care for undocumented immigrants (a monumental cost!), Forcing taxpayers to finance transgender surgeries for minors, include people killed in the medical lists, allow undocumented criminals to rob billions of dollars in benefits to US taxpayers [Estados Unidos] To open their borders again to criminals, allow men to participate in women’s sports and, in essence, create transition operations [de sexo] for all ”.
Since 1980, there have been 14 government closures. The most recent arrived in 2018, and lasted 34 days. In December of last year, Democrats and Republicans were about not reaching an agreement, which would have to leave officials without salary at Christmas.
Not all federal services would be interrupted this Wednesday if the shutdown It comes true. “Essential” aspects of the operation of the administration, such as the distribution of postal mail or the work of air controllers would continue. National parks or public museums, on the other hand, prepare to close. For Washington, where a good part of the officials who will stay at home are concentrated if the government closes, things are different. While the clock continues to mark the hours, the capital contains the breath in case the wolf ends.
