WILL OLIVER ; POOL/EPA
The leader of the majority in the US Senate, John Thune
It is happening for the first time in seven years. There is no end in view of the impasse of the budget. Several public services should be suspended in the next few hours.
The Americans woke up this Wednesday with the first partial government closure In almost seven years, and there are no clear signs that the situation will be resolved quickly, after Congress has not been able to approve a budget.
President Donald Trump and Congress leaders are not negotiating and the impasse may extend beyond the end of Wednesday. In addition, the Yom Kippur holiday this Thursday makes practically certain extension until Friday or more, the newspaper remembers.
Instead of bipartisan negotiations, Congress prepares for a Repetition of Party Theater: The Senate will vote, and probably reject, rival provisional proposals for the third time, while the Democrats of the House of Representatives have meetings at the closed door and the Republicans do not plan to return to the Capitol before next week.
The leaders of both parties are consolidating positions, in what is described as a guilty game and put the pressure on political opponents to give in if you want to reopen government agencies.
Chuck Schumer, the minority leader in the Senate, accused the Republicans: “It’s on their side to solve – it’s their stoppage.” John Thune, leader of the Senate Republican majority, replied, “Let’s not be done hostage. There is nothing here to negotiate.”
Each party believes that the other will suffer a greater reaction from the electorate due to the stoppage. Democrats have the responsibility of Republicans, who control the power instruments in Washington while seeking to use the situation to reinforce their electoral strategy. At the heart of discord are the health care and the extension of insurance subsidies that expire at the end of the year, central points for next year’s intermediate elections. Democrats will only approve the budget if assistance programs are extended.
In turn, Republicans warn that they will not give in quickly and that the government will remain paralyzed for a while. Party leaders will hold a press conference to criticize the Democrats and reiterate that there Just one solution: the approval of a seven -week temporary financing law by the House.
In the last 48 hours, there was hope that a meeting between Trump and the Democratic leaders could unlock progress, but there was no advances. On the contrary, Trump further complicated the situation By promoting manipulated videos aimed at Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, leader of the House minority.
On Tuesday night, Republicans felt any relief when Senators Angus King and Catherine Cortez Masto joined John Fetterman to vote in favor of the Bill led by the Republican Chamber. The goal is to try to attract five more democrats as the closure extends, with special attention to Jeanne Shaheen. King criticized the strategy of some democratic sectors to use closure as a way of facing Trump. Because, he explained, the stoppage gives more power to the president.
Republicans plan to continue to force votes on their financing project almost daily, including during the weekend, while the leadership of the House discusses ways to maximize political impact on Democrats. Among the options is to decide whether the House return next week should occur without a legislative solution in hand.
Senate democrats also discuss internally ways to press Republicans and create possible ways for a solution.
However, senators of both parties are discreetly exploiting solutions to overcome the impasse.
