The most recent U.S. government shutdown lasted a record 35 days, beginning in December 2018 and continuing into late January 2019, under President Donald Trump’s first term. A new U.S. government shutdown is expected to begin on Tuesday night, following a White House meeting held this afternoon between Trump and congressional leaders, which did not result in any progress toward reaching an agreement to extend federal funding.
Both parties left Monday’s meeting stating that the difference between them was still significant and each maintaining that the responsibility lies with the other to decide if the government will shut down.
I believe we’re heading towards a shutdown because the Democrats aren’t taking the correct action,” Vice President JD Vance said to reporters following the meeting. “I hope they reconsider, but we’ll find out.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer stated that “significant differences” still exist regarding healthcare matters and Trump’s attempts to gain greater influence over spending that has been approved by Congress. “It’s up to the Republicans if they want a shutdown or not,” Schumer remarked, noting that Trump is “the one making the decision” and could prevent a shutdown by accepting certain Democratic proposals. “Their bill contains absolutely no input from Democrats. That’s not how we’ve handled it in the past,” Schumer added.
The Republican side: Republicans claim that Democrats should support a “clean” seven-week temporary funding measure approved by the House, providing more time for discussions on annual budget bills and other policy matters. They argue that Democrats are introducing unnecessary and costly policy requirements into what could be a simple, non-partisan arrangement to maintain government operations. They also state that they will not agree to a Democratic proposal that would increase spending by more than $1 trillion in exchange for just a short-term funding agreement. This total includes $350 billion to permanently extend increased Affordable Care Act tax credits that are set to expire by the end of the year.
This is nothing more than a straightforward act of hostage-taking for the Democrats,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune. “At this moment, it is a takeover of the American people, and the American people will end up bearing the cost.
Vance labeled certain Democratic requests as “unreasonable,” yet mentioned that he and Trump considered other Democratic proposals acceptable, stating that Republicans would be open to discussion, but not within the framework of a government shutdown. “What’s unreasonable is using those ideas as a bargaining chip and shutting down the government unless we grant you everything you want,” the vice president stated.
The Democratic side: Democrats, keen to demonstrate they are opposing what they call a “lawless” administration, aim to position this conflict around healthcare expenses and argue that they cannot rely on pledges from Trump or Republicans to participate in honest discussions, citing their political behavior this year.
Schumer mentioned that Democrats have outlined several healthcare concerns they aim to tackle, such as the risk of significant premium hikes for millions of Americans if the additional Affordable Care Act tax credits are not extended, and the potential for more rural hospitals to shut down because of Medicaid funding reductions. Schumer noted that, from Trump’s appearance, it seemed he was learning about these issues for the first time. “It appeared that, for the first time, he grasped the seriousness of this crisis, and we hope he will speak with Republican leaders and convey that bipartisan collaboration is needed,” Schumer stated.
As Democrats plan for a potential shutdown, Schumer has “reached out” to his members regarding the idea of a temporary bill that would enable the government to resume operations for seven to 10 days, Axiosreported.
“Progressives view this as evidence that Schumer is yielding,” wrote Andrew Desiderio of Punchbowl News in aposton X, “but sources close to the leadership say he’s preparing for various situations to avoid a shutdown and to maintain pressure on the GOP to discuss Obamacare subsidies — and to make the House appear unfavorable during its break.” Desiderio mentioned that the Democratic temporary plan would be activated if Trump agrees to talk about the Obamacare subsidies.
Who the public will hold responsible:Democrats are counting on Americans to hold the ruling party in Washington, D.C., accountable, and a new survey released today indicates they could have a head start in that effort. TheMorning Consult pollOut of 2,202 voters, 45% state they would hold Republicans in Congress responsible for a government shutdown, while 32% attribute it to Democrats. Independent voters, by a ratio of 41-24, are more inclined to blame Republicans. The survey was carried out last week.
“Similar to how shutdowns typically unfold, all involved parties will appear worse off, at least temporarily,” said Cameron Easley, head of political and economic analysis at Morning Consult.PoliticoRepublicans must also recognize that there is a clear impression among voters that their majority in Washington makes them accountable.
What’s next: Probably a shutdown.
