🔗 Share this article

GOP legislative leader Mike Johnson has accused the opposing party are “lacking seriousness” in negotiations aimed at resolving the ongoing government closure, entering its fifth day and expected to last into next week or longer.

Talks between the opposing political parties hit a standstill during the weekend, with no votes anticipated to end the standoff. Survey data indicated just 28% of Democratic voters along with 23% of GOP supporters consider their party’s positions worth shutting down the government.

In his comments with a national television show, Johnson stated the House had done its work by passing a measure for government funding and now the responsibility lies with the Senate “to turn the lights back on so that everyone can do their work”. He charged the opposition of failing to engage “in meaningful discussions”.

“They’re doing this to get political cover because the Senate leader fears losing his upcoming election in the Senate because he’s going to be challenged from a left-wing contender in New York, as this is becoming trendy in politics,” he said, mentioning the Bronx representative who may be looking to challenge the incumbent senator for the Senate position next year.

But Johnson’s counterpart, the opposition leader, told the same program that a Republican senator lied last week when he claimed Democrats were being dishonest regarding their goals related to medical coverage for immigrants without documentation.

“Republicans are lying since they’re trailing in public support,” Jeffries stated, and added his party was “advocating for the healthcare of hard-working American taxpayers, for labor-class citizens, of middle-class Americans”.

Jeffries also responded to remarks from the ex-president in a social media post labeling Democrats the party as malicious and destructive accompanied by images of party figures, including progressive representatives, the 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 president’s behavior “is outrageous, it’s unhinged, it’s unreasonable, and is self-explanatory. The American people merit more than falsehoods, than attacks, manipulated media and the president spending all of his time to golfing.”

Top political figures have not had formal talks for almost a week as both seek to secure political advantage ahead of renewed discussions.

The minority leader mentioned that since that meeting earlier this week, “Republicans, including the former president, have ceased communication and the Democratic party leadership “will keep emphasizing, both the Senate leader and I, that we will sit down whenever and wherever, with all parties to resolve this matter with the earnestness that it deserves”.

The struggle for political advantage persisted through Sunday with Johnson claiming that the possibility for temporary government job suspensions, known as furloughs, evolving into permanent dismissals “is a regrettable situation the administration wishes to avoid”.

A senior administration economic official increased pressure on Democrats, saying the White House may initiate widespread job cuts of federal workers if the president decides negotiations with Democrats have “completely stalled”.

The official stated on a national news program that the administration “are lining things up and ready to take action if they have to, but hoping to avoid it”. However, he suggested it is possible that Democrats could back down.

“I believe all parties is still hopeful that when we get a new beginning at the beginning of the week, we can persuade the Democrats to see that it’s just common sense to avoid layoffs of that nature,” the official commented.

However, concerns exist Democrats have walked into a trap. Johnson said on Sunday that the administration had asked the Democratic leadership to maintain government operations.

“Under these circumstances, with Senate Democrats choosing to hand the keys to the kingdom to the administration, they must take difficult choices,” he said, referencing the management official.

The management official, the speaker stated, “must now examine the entire government, acknowledging the funding streams have been turned off and decide what are essential programs, operations, and staff. This isn’t a task that he relishes. But he’s compelled to perform it by the Democratic leader.”

The cycle of blame persisted as the Senate leader telling a news network that Johnson avoids discussing the real issue, the healthcare crisis facing the American people. So he puts up false narratives to distract the public.”

However, during a discussion scheduled for Monday, Johnson told another news network he views the issue of expiring healthcare subsidies – which Democrats prioritize 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 ample time,” Johnson remarked. “We need folks in good faith to negotiate together and hold those talks. This cannot happen when the government is shut down,” he added.

A prominent Democratic senator appearing on the same news program was questioned if his party delegates in the Senate would stay united following three Democrats broke away to vote with Republicans. The senator said expressing confidence that “all Democrats understand that countless of their constituents risk losing access of their healthcare”.

“We require a leader who can act like an adult, who can come to the table and negotiate an end to this manufactured healthcare emergency,” the senator said. “Right now we don’t see that. We see the former president golfing frequently, we notice the House leader instructing representatives not to even come to session, claiming no duties for the federal government to do.”