Government shutdown blame begins as Senate tries to reverse course

WASHINGTON AP Blame was hurled Wednesday at all sides for start of a regime shutdown after President Donald Trump and Congress failed to strike an agreement to fund federal operations and plunged the country into a new cycle of uncertainty Roughly federal workers were expected to be furloughed with chosen potentially fired by Trump s Republican administration A large number of offices will be shuttered perhaps permanently as Trump vows to do things that are irreversible to punish Democrats His deportation agenda is expected to run full speed ahead while coaching environmental and other services sputter The economic fallout is expected to ripple nationwide The Republican-led Senate will try to reverse program with do-over votes expected around midday but the same outcome is expected as Democrats demand more wellbeing care funding that Trump and Republicans say they will negotiate later I certainly pray they will come to their senses House Speaker Mike Johnson declared flanked by GOP leaders at the Capitol This is the third time Trump has presided over a federal funding lapse and the first since his return to the White House this year His record underscores the polarizing divide over budget priorities in a political context that rewards hard-line positions rather than more traditional compromises Plenty of blame being thrown around The Democrats picked this fight which was strange for the party that prefers to keep leadership running but their voters are eager to challenge the president s second-term agenda Democrats are demanding funding for strength care subsidies that are expiring for millions of people under the Affordable Care Act causing the insurance premiums to spike nationwide Republicans have refused to negotiate and have encouraged Trump to steer clear of any talks After convening a White House meeting this week with the Democratic leaders the president posted a cartoonish fake video mocking the Democratic leadership that was widely viewed as unserious and racist President Trump s behavior has become more erratic and unhinged Democratic leaders Sen Chuck Schumer and Rep Hakeem Jeffries reported in a joint announcement calling for an intervention to get the country out of the shutdown Instead of negotiating a bipartisan agreement in good faith he is obsessively posting crazed deepfake videos Vice President JD Vance disclosed Republicans want to resolve the wellbeing care issues that concern Democrats but will not negotiate until the establishment reopens It s craziness and people are going to suffer because of this Vance noted Wednesday on the Fox News show Fox Friends What neither side has devised is an easy off-ramp to prevent what could become a protracted closure The ramifications are certain to spread beyond the political arena upending the lives of Americans who rely on the administration for benefit payments work contracts and the countless services being thrown into turmoil Economic fallout expected to ripple nationwide An economic jolt could be felt in a matter of days The cabinet is expected Friday to produce its monthly jobs account which may or may not be delivered Wall Street veered toward losses before the opening bell Wednesday as the establishment shutdown went into effect just after midnight Across the ruling body preparations have begun Trump s Office of Management and Budget headed by Russ Vought directed agencies to execute plans not just for furloughs which are typical during a federal funding lapse but mass firings of federal workers It s part of the Trump administration s mission including its Department of Leadership Efficiency to shrink the leadership What s staying open and shutting down The Medicare and Medicaid wellness care programs are expected to continue though staffing shortages could mean delays for certain services The Pentagon would still function And majority employees will stay on the job at the Department of Homeland Guard But Trump has warned that the administration could focus on programs that are critical to Democrats cutting vast numbers of people out cutting things that they like cutting programs that they like As agencies sort out which workers are essential or not Smithsonian museums are expected to stay open at least until Monday A group of former national park superintendents urged the administration to close the parks to visitors arguing that poorly staffed parks in a shutdown are a danger to the masses and put park support at exposure No easy exit as fitness care costs soar Ahead of Wednesday s start of the fiscal year House Republicans had approved a temporary funding bill over opposition from Democrats to keep ruling body running into mid-November while broader negotiations continue But that bill has failed repeatedly in the Senate including late Tuesday It requires votes for approval which requires cooperation between the two parties A Democratic bill also failed Cracks within the Democrats are apparent Three senators crossed over to join with the - GOP majority in favor of the temporary bill signaling that Democratic leverage may be eroding Senate Majority Leader John Thune who has commented Republicans are happy to discuss the physical condition care issue but not as part of talks to keep the executive open is working to peel off more Democrats to his side The standoff is a political test for Schumer who has drawn scorn from a restive base of left-flank voters pushing the party to hold firm in its demands for physical condition care funding Johnson sent lawmakers home nearly two weeks ago after having passed the GOP bill but declared they would be back next week Trump during his meeting with the congressional leaders expressed surprise at the scope of the rising costs of wellbeing care but Democrats left with no path toward talks During Trump s first term the nation endured its longest-ever shutdown days over his demands for funds Congress refused to provide to build his promised U S -Mexico edge wall In the cabinet shut down for days during the Obama presidency over GOP demands to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act also known as Obamacare Other closures date back decades