Federal Government Shutdown Begins Amid Partisan Blame Game

The federal government is officially shut down after threats loomed for weeks regarding the latest spending bill. As it stands, Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on key points of the spending bill, and the partisan blame game is fully underway.

As spotted in The Hill, both Republicans and Democrats are unwilling to budge on stopgap funding packages, with Democrats unified on messaging that the Republican version of the spending bill all but stamps out some of their side’s wants. Republicans are also in lockstep with their messaging, with both sides pushing out their most soundbite-ready members to add leverage to their agendas.

However, the inevitable blame game is being spun to a great degree on both sides regarding the federal government shutdown, with the Congressional Budget Office adding in a report that it will leave some 750,000 federal employees facing furloughs.

“The Democrat caucus here in town in the Senate has chosen to shut down the government over a clean, nonpartisan funding bill. That’s right — a clean, nonpartisan funding bill,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune said to a throng of media. “Senate Democrats said ‘no.’ Because far left interest groups and far left Democrat members wanted a showdown with the president.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer offered his viewpoint, saying, “Republicans are plunging America into a shutdown—rejecting bipartisan talks, pushing a partisan bill, and risking America’s healthcare, worst of all. They’ve got to sit down and negotiate with Democrats to come to a bill that both parties can support.”

Democrats are haggling with Republicans over the Affordable Care Act, with their side seeking a provision extending the subsidies of the law. Republicans want to do away with the tax credits associated with the massive healthcare law, which are expected to expire by the end of the year. Democrats warn this will come at a great cost to American citizens.

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Photo: Getty