Tag: #GOPShutdown

In a West Wing in Transition, Trump Tries to Stand Firm on the Shutdown

WASHINGTON — President Trump has insisted that he is not going to compromise with Democrats to end the government shutdown, and that he is comfortable in his unbendable position. But privately, it’s sometimes a different story.

“We are getting crushed!” Mr. Trump told his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, after watching some recent coverage of the shutdown, according to one person familiar with the conversation. “Why can’t we get a deal?”

The president is confronted by a divided and partially shuttered government with an untested staff that has undergone yet another shake-up. Polls show that most Americans blame him for the government shutdown, and his advisers are warning him of its negative effects on the economy. And as the shutdown enters its 27th day on Thursday with no end in sight, most of his top aides would like him to find a way out.

View the complete January 16 article by Maggie Haberman and Annie Karni on The New York Times website here.

Recession warnings pile up as shutdown wraps up fourth week

Maryland resident Rosa Marquez displays her bills while standing near other furloughed security officers and custodians outside Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s office. An extended shutdown could push first-quarter growth close to or even below zero. Credit: M. Scott Mahaskey, Politico

The impasse is triggering alarms about an already fragile economic environment.

The partial government shutdown was supposed to be a brief non-event for the economy. Now it’s starting to look like a serious crisis that could nudge the U.S. toward recession and threaten President Donald Trump’s economic message during his reelection campaign.

Across Wall Street, analysts are rushing out warnings that missed federal paychecks, dormant government contractors and shelved corporate stock offerings could push first-quarter growth close to or even below zero if the shutdown, which is wrapping up its fourth week, drags on much longer.

Their broader fear: The protracted impasse could convince consumers and businesses that the federal government will spend all of 2019 on the brink of crisis — whether on the border wall, trade with China or the debt limit. That could choke business investment and consumer spending, bringing an end to one of the longest economic expansions on record.

View the complete January 17 article by Ben White on the Politico website here.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez Searches for Sen. Mitch McConnell

In an effort to move the GOP-controlled Senate to act on the government shutdown, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez searches the Capitol for Sen. Mitch McConnell.

Visit The Daily Mail website to view the video post here.

DNC on House Vote to End Trump’s Shutdown

DNC Chair Tom Perez released the following statement after the Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to end Donald Trump’s shutdown and reopen the federal government:

“This shutdown should’ve never happened. Democrats offered multiple proposals to avoid it, but Donald Trump decided to throw a tantrum that would be embarrassing even for a toddler. And now hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been left without a paycheck, federal agencies have lost their resources, and millions of American families have lost access to critical benefits and services.

“Tonight’s vote marks the dawn of a new era of leadership in the House of Representatives. The Senate GOP and President Trump should end their reckless shutdown and pass this bipartisan legislation, which includes measures they’ve already supported. The American people have made their voices clear: They want to fund and reopen the government. The time for games is over.”