Senior Republicans faced with the prospect of a looming government shutdown in March on their watch are beginning to panic, reports Politico's Jennifer Scholtes.
Now that the Republican party holds the White House, the Senate and the House of Representatives, they are on the spot while stuck between Democrats, who are in no mood to bail them out, and Donald Trump who is the reason Democrats have no desire to lend a hand.
According to the report, "government funding expires in less than six weeks" and that Republicans are under the gun to get something done or face the wrath of voters.
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House Appropriations Chair Tom Cole (R-OK) sounded a warning on Tuesday, telling reporters: "I don’t think anybody thinks a shutdown is a good thing. But the politics are such that we could certainly stumble into one without meaning to."
The report notes that Democrats are using Trump's threat to impound government funding as a reason to balk at coming to a bi-partisan budgetary agreement.
On Democratic negotiator, Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT) made her feelings clear, "Don’t tell me that all bets are off. That we’re going to come to a deal … and then all of a sudden Elon Musk or some other self-subscribed unchecked billionaire decides it’s not to his liking. Hell no.”
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) took just as dark of view, telling reporters that his party will need help from the Democrats, and admitting, “God, I hope that doesn’t happen. I mean, I really don’t. The Democrats aren’t in much of a mood to help.”
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