WASHINGTON, D.C. (NBCNC) – It’s shutdown day six, and it looks like we could be here for a few more days still. There is no movement at the White House or on Capitol Hill as hundreds of thousands of federal employees brace for the financial hit.
With the past two shutdowns, we saw a scramble with lawmakers working around the clock to reopen.
Not as much urgency this time around and no confidence from anybody that it will end soon.
Capitol Hill is practically a ghost town with offices locked, halls empty. And since Saturday, shutdown negotiations are apparently nonexistent.
Rep. Ryan Costello (R- PA) said, “I don’t see a scenario where the government opens back up until a new Congress is sworn in”
The only public signs of talks between President Trump and lawmakers are jabs on Twitter with the president slamming, what he calls, “Democrats’ obstruction of the desperately needed wall.” And referring to the 800,000 federal employees affected by the shutdown. “Do the Dems realize that most of the people not getting paid are democrats??”
Angry Democratic lawmakers are firing back. “The president is treating federal employees like poker chips at one of his failed casinos,” tweeted Senator Mark Warner.
And from Senator Bob Menendez: “Once again – our “stable genius” president is spewing lies.”
Chief of Staff to former President Bill Clinton Mack McLarty said, “We need to resolve this situation and this is just another sign of Washington’s dysfunctionality.”
From coast to coast are reminders of the government at a partial standstill.
On Twitter, federal employees are using the hashtag #shutdownstories to share how they’re bracing for financial hardships.
In Kentucky, a BBQ spot is pitching in to help, offering free meals to federal workers—more than 100 so far. “Very generous,” one worker said. “We’re very grateful.”
The BBQ spot said they’ll provide the meals “…until they [federal workers] go back to work. However long it lasts.”
And it could last a while with not much optimism back in Washington. The Senate’s number two Democrat admitting – there’s “no end in sight”
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