In Australia, such images would be political poison at a time like this; In the United States, it is much less powerful. Still, Trump is vulnerable to Democratic attacks that he is partying with billionaires while the home front burns.
“People are not as stupid as Trump thinks,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy said overnight. “They know he’s busy taking ego-boosting world tours and building his ballroom. Anything but trying to end the shutdown.”
Trump’s lavish Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago has drawn criticism from Democrats because food aid to 42 million Americans has been cut.Credit: AP
Trump’s unpopularity may partly explain why this shutdown has not yet followed the usual trajectory in which the party making the demands – the Democrats – ends up giving in.
Democrats are insisting that Republicans extend health care subsidies that are set to expire at the end of this year. Republicans accuse their opponents of blackmailing the country over an issue they say should be dealt with separately.
Many Republicans believe Democrats will fold after Tuesday’s elections, which include the New York City mayoral race and gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. The truth is that Democrats are appealing to their base, who wants them to fight Trump to the end.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said it was actually fear. “[Democrat leaders] “They fear political retaliation from far-left activists in their party more than the consequences of keeping the government shut down for weeks on end,” he told reporters. “It is left-wing extremism that is the direct cause of American suffering right now.”
“It is left-wing extremism that is the direct cause of American suffering right now”: Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives.Credit: Bloomberg
Hakeem Jeffries, leader of House Democrats, says people who receive health care benefits want the party to keep fighting and promises that Democrats’ position won’t change in November after the election.
But the long shutdown is testing the loyalty of both sides. Three Democratic senators agreed to approve the Republicans’ proposal to end the shutdown now; Five more are needed. Overnight, the hill reported that eight Democratic senators were in talks with Republicans about a possible deal.
Charging
And firebrand Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has emerged as an unlikely face of resistance against the party’s leadership, criticizing Johnson in particular for failing to come up with ideas to resolve the impasse over health care and for keeping the House on an extended recess.
On Monday (Tuesday AEDT), the Trump administration partially relented and agreed to use nearly $5 billion ($7.65 billion) in contingency funds to restart food aid – known as SNAP benefits – although it will only allow partial payments.
Ultimately, it’s a high-risk move for all sides. It appears that Democrats have been able to rally their political base without alienating the rest of the country… until now. Trump is betting that business as usual will ultimately prevail and that Democrats will be forced to concede.
Meanwhile, ordinary people are forced to face the consequences.
