At 12:01 am local time on Wednesday, the US federal government entered a partial shutdown — a uniquely American spectacle 🏛️. Senators adjourned without a deal on funding for the next seven weeks, leaving agencies scrambling and millions of workers in limbo.
The root cause? A classic tug-of-war: Democrats demand concessions on healthcare subsidies and threaten a filibuster, while Republicans hold a 55-45 majority but still fall short of the 60 votes needed to break it. Talk about Senate gridlock 🤯!
Borrowing a page from Trump’s playbook in The Art of the Deal, the current President campaigned as the ultimate tough negotiator 🤝. Yet even his own party’s slim margin hasn’t been enough to clear the finish line. Fun fact: during his first term, Trump oversaw two shutdowns—one lasted just three days, another stretched an epic 35 days over border wall funding 🌮.
Now, affected agencies must furlough staff or force them to work without pay, putting pressure on services from national parks to passport offices. Investors and entrepreneurs from Wall Street to São Paulo are watching closely, as each day of delay stirs uncertainty across global markets 🏦🌎.
One thing’s clear: when chunky majorities face high vote thresholds, even bold dealmakers hit roadblocks. In this high-stakes poker game, nobody seems to hold a winning hand—yet. Will they fold, raise, or bluff their way out of shutdown? Stay tuned for the next round 🃏✨.
Reference(s):
The Art of the Deal: Where nobody wins and things shut down?
cgtn.com
