House Speaker Asserts Opposition Party Lack Seriousness About Negotiations while Government Shutdown Continues
The Republican House speaker the House leader charged the opposing party are “lacking seriousness” during talks to end the federal government shutdown, entering its fifth day and expected to last through next week or beyond.
Talks between the opposing political parties stalled over the weekend, and no legislative action expected to resolve the impasse. Survey data indicated only 28% of Democrats along with 23% of GOP supporters believe their party’s stance worth shutting down the government.
During an interview with a national television show, Johnson stated the House had done its work by passing a measure to keep the government financed and now the responsibility lies with the Senate “to restart government operations enabling federal employees to resume work”. He charged the opposition of failing to engage “in meaningful discussions”.
“This strategy to get political cover since the Senate leader fears losing his next re-election bid for Senate reelection facing a challenge from a left-wing contender in New York, as this is becoming trendy out there,” he said, referring to the Bronx representative who may be looking to challenge the incumbent senator for the Senate position in the coming election.
However, the minority leader, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries, told the same program that a GOP legislator made false statements recently by asserting that Democrats weren’t truthful regarding their goals related to medical coverage for undocumented immigrants.
“GOP members are deceitful because they’re losing in public support,” Jeffries said, noting that Democrats are “advocating for medical care of hard-working American taxpayers, of working-class Americans, for the middle class”.
Jeffries also responded to comments by the former president in a social media post in which he called the Democratic party of “hate, evil, and Satan” accompanied by images of party figures, such as progressive representatives, the Democratic Senate leader, the previous House speaker, and the former president and first lady.
Questioned if he could still negotiate with the former president, Jeffries said the ex-president’s conduct “is shocking, it’s irrational, it’s unjustifiable, and it speaks for itself. Citizens merit more than falsehoods, hostilities, manipulated media and the president spending excessive time to golfing.”
Leaders of the political leadership haven’t engaged in official discussions in nearly a week as both seek to gain a political edge before resuming negotiations.
Jeffries stated following their last discussion earlier this week, “GOP leaders, including the former president, have gone radio silent and the Democratic party leadership “will continue to make clear, the Senate leader and myself, that we are ready to meet any time, any place, with anyone to address this issue with the seriousness that it deserves”.
The struggle for political advantage persisted through Sunday as Johnson stated that the possibility of temporary federal employee furloughs, called furloughs, hardening into permanent job layoffs “is an unfortunate circumstance that the president does not want”.
A top White House economic adviser ramped up pressure against Democrats, saying the White House may initiate widespread job cuts among government employees if the president decides negotiations with Democrats are “absolutely going nowhere”.
The adviser told a Sunday talk show that the administration “are preparing measures and ready to take action if they have to, but hoping that they don’t”. However, he suggested there’s a chance that Democrats might compromise.
“I believe all parties is still hopeful that with a fresh start early this week, that we can get Democrats to recognize that it’s logical to prevent job losses like that,” the adviser said.
However, concerns exist Democrats have walked into a trap. Johnson said on Sunday that the president had asked the Democratic leadership to maintain government operations.
“Under these circumstances, where the Senate Democrats choosing to hand government control to the administration, they must take difficult choices,” he explained, referencing the management official.
The budget director, the speaker stated, “has to now look at the entire government, recognizing that funding sources are discontinued and determine what are essential programs, policies, and staff. This isn’t a task he enjoys. But he’s being required to do it by the Democratic leader.”
The cycle of blame persisted as the Senate leader stating on television that Johnson avoids discussing the actual problem, the medical care crisis facing the American people. So he puts up false narratives to distract the public.”
But in an interview set to broadcast on Monday, Johnson informed a different network he considers the issue of expiring healthcare subsidies – that Democrats place central in their bargaining stance – as one that can be addressed later.
“We have effectively a quarter-year for discussions with the administration and in the hall of Congress, that’s like an eternity,” Johnson remarked. “We need folks in good faith to negotiate together and hold those talks. And we can’t do it when the government is shut down,” he continued.
A prominent Democratic senator appearing on the same news program was questioned whether his party members in the Senate remain unified following three Democrats broke away to vote with Republicans. He responded expressing confidence that all party members recognize that millions and millions of their voters are about to be priced out of their healthcare”.
“We require a leader who behaves maturely, who will negotiate and negotiate an end to their self-imposed healthcare crisis,” he stated. “Right now we don’t see that. We observe the ex-leader out on the golf course, we notice the House leader instructing representatives to skip legislative sessions, claiming no duties for government employees.”