As of this Sunday, the US government shutdown reached its fifth day. At the same time, President Donald Trump marked the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy with a ceremony of his own, in Norfolk, Virginia. Despite the ongoing impasse, Trump used the occasion to voice his frustration, attributing the looming federal layoffs to the Democratic Party.
Trump’s comments came as federal employees were left bracing for an uncertain future as the shutdown stretched on. Recently, this has led to some fear mongering over possible layoffs. He referred to these possible layoffs as “Democrat layoffs.” He argued that any federal employee who would be impacted is an innocent victim who would pay the price for the Democrats’ actions.
“Anybody laid off, that’s because of the Democrats.” – Donald Trump
Political Stalemate and Negotiations
The blame game continues. As the standoff between Republicans and Democrats grows deeper, both parties dig in their heels. In the American Families Plan, Democrats proposed a permanent extension of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). They want assurances that the White House won’t act on their own accord to cut any agreed-upon spending.
For his part, Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune sounded open to addressing at least a few of the Democrats’ objections. He underlined that addressing the shutdown has to be the first priority. Thune inspired optimism for continued bipartisan collaboration in the midst of the turmoil.
“If the president decides that the negotiations are absolutely going nowhere, then there will start to be layoffs.” – Kevin Hassett
Kevin Hassett— Director of the White House National Economic Council —provided a little more optimistic perspective. His reasoning, of course, was that Democrats would ultimately fold and help avert a looming political and economic disaster. He promised that the administration was prepared to act. If negotiations had broken down, Trump and OMB Director Russ Vought were going to be the spearhead.
Healthcare Reform Discussions
Other than those major budgetary sticking points, Trump succeeded in putting Republican priorities front and center in a positive way with his speech on healthcare reform. He criticized the current ACA framework, stating that “Obamacare has been a disaster for the people” and emphasized their desire to implement changes that could improve the system.
The healthcare debate makes negotiations even more difficult, with both sides unable or unwilling to see eye-to-eye. Though Thune was open to moving forward with debate on reforms, he restated that reopening government should be the focus.
As that pressure builds, Democratic Senator Ruben Gallego offered one of the harshest assessments we’ve heard in the months since the collapse. When pressed whether lawmakers were any closer to a deal, he answered emphatically.
“At this point, no.” – Senator Ruben Gallego
Implications for Federal Workers
As the shutdown continues, federal employees face uncertainty regarding their pay and job security. The 2019 Government Employee Fair Treatment Act provides our federal employees backpay. Due to the government shutdown, they’ll have to wait for this pay. The threat of mass layoffs hangs over workers if a deal isn’t made in short order.
That continuing political impasse makes it difficult for lawmakers to advance. Yet at the same time, immediate public service demands prevent them from being able to truly engage with their constituents. Yet with every day that passes, the urgency for a resolution intensifies, ratcheting up stress levels for federal employees and Americans across the country.
