During the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, President Trump has shown little interest in talks to reopen the government. But you can change that.
President Trump told Republican senators at the White House on Wednesday that he believes the government shutdown was a “huge factor” in the Republicans’ poor performance against Democrats in key races.
“We have to reopen the government immediately, really immediately,” Trump said, adding that he would speak privately with senators to discuss what he wants to do next.
The president’s comments mark a departure from his previous largely indifferent response to reopening the government. With Congress deadlocked for more than a month, President Trump’s attention is largely elsewhere.
He spent most of last week at . Before that, much of his focus was on
So far, President Trump’s main effort to reopen the federal government has been to ask Republican leaders to end the filibuster, a longstanding Senate rule that requires 60 votes in the chamber to pass most legislation. President Trump wants to eliminate the so-called nuclear option, a rule that allows Republicans, who control the chamber, to pass legislation with a simple majority vote.
“If we don’t end the filibuster, we’re going to be in a dire situation,” Trump told Republican senators, warning that if the rule went into effect, the Republican Party would be seen as a “do-nothing Republican” and would be “killed” in next year’s midterm elections.
President Trump’s push to end the government shutdown comes as voters increasingly disapprove of his economic policies. That trend intensified Tuesday as voters cast their votes primarily motivated by economic concerns. Despite these metrics, President Trump told an audience at the American Business Forum in Miami on Wednesday that he believes “we have the greatest economy right now.”
President Trump has not admitted fault with his economic policies, but he has begun to express concern that the ongoing government shutdown may be hurting the Republican Party. Those concerns have led him to pressure Republicans to eliminate the filibuster, a move that has left party members in a bind.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota is resisting pressure, calling the filibuster an “important tool” to rein in party control of the chamber.
The 60-vote threshold allowed Republicans to block “a lot of terrible Democratic policies” on Fox News Radio’s “The Guy Benson Show” on Monday Tune last year when Republicans were in the minority.
“I shudder to think how much worse things would have been without the Congressional filibuster,” he said. “The truth is, if we do their dirty work for them, and that’s essentially what we do, if they have a chance to do it, we’re going to own all the crap they’re going to do.”
Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) said last week that he was “absolutely opposed to eradication.”
“The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power may shift, but principles should not.” Curtis said.
As the government shutdown extends into its 36th day on Wednesday, President Trump continues to show no interest in negotiating with Democrats. Democrats have refused to vote on a government reopening bill that does not include a health care deal.
Budget negotiations stalled as Democrats tried to force Republicans to extend a federal health tax credit that expires at the end of this year. Millions of Americans are expected to experience higher insurance premiums once these credits expire.
As negotiations stalled, President Trump said in an interview aired Sunday that he “will not be forced” by requests to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
On Wednesday, Democratic legislative leaders sent a letter to President Trump calling for a bipartisan conference to “end the Republican federal government shutdown and decisively address the Republican health crisis.”
“Democrats stand ready to meet face-to-face with you anytime, anywhere,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Democrats’ letter.
“The election results should send a lightning bolt to President Donald Trump to meet with us to end this crisis.”
President Trump’s comments on Wednesday suggest he is more interested in a partisan approach to ending the government shutdown.
“It’s time for Republicans to do what they need to do, and that’s end the filibuster,” Trump told Republican senators. “That’s the only way you can do it.”
Trump insisted that if Republicans did not do so, he would do so the next time Senate Democrats gained a majority.
Democrats have not indicated they intend to end the filibuster in the future, but President Trump insisted it was not and that it was up to Republicans to “do it first.”
